Eli Lilly and Company and AtaiBeckley Inc. announced a agreement for Lilly to acquire AtaiBeckley. The transaction features cash consideration of $6.75 per share, representing an aggregatevalue of approximately $2.8 billion, plus a Contingent Value Right (CVR) worth up to an additional $1.0 billion based on specified milestones.
The acquisition significantly expands Lilly’s neuroscience pipeline by adding AtaiBeckley’s portfolio of rapid-acting neuroplastogens. Unlike conventional treatments, these therapies aim to restore synaptic connectivity and promote neural connection growth to treat psychiatric illness at its biological root.
AtaiBeckley’s lead asset, BPL-003 an intranasal synthetic form of 5-MeO-DMT for treatment-resistant depression has initiated Phase 3 activities and holds FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation. In Phase 2b trials, BPL-003 demonstrated rapid, durable reductions in depressive symptoms following a brief, two-hour average in-clinic visit. The pipeline also includes VLS-01, a buccal film formulation of DMT currently in Phase 2b development.
The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Written by: Pragna Biswas
Graphics by: Pramit Hazra
