Eli Lilly to Acquire Merida Biosciences
On August 31, 2026, Eli Lilly and Merida Biosciences (“Merida’) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Lilly to acquire Merida. Under the terms of the agreement, Eli Lilly will pay up to $2.875 billion in cash, inclusive of an upfront payment and contingent milestone payments, with closing expected in Q4 2026 subject to regulatory approval.
Merida is a biotechnology company that has developed an antibody-engineering platform designed to selectively degrade the specific pathogenic autoantibodies driving autoimmune and allergic diseases, a more targeted approach than conventional broad immunosuppression. Its lead program, MER511, is in Phase 1 development for Graves’ disease and thyroid eye disease, with earlier-stage programs in food allergy, asthma, and kidney disease also in the pipeline.
Goodwin’s Life Sciences team advised Merida Biosciences on the transaction.
The post Eli Lilly to Acquire Merida Biosciences appeared first on Big Molecule Watch.