Eli Lilly Expands ALS Pipeline with $415M Alchemab Deal, Continuing Aggressive Dealmaking Strategy
Eli Lilly has further solidified its position in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) drug development landscape by entering into a licensing agreement with UK-based Alchemab Therapeutics. The deal, potentially worth up to $415 million, centers on ATLX-1282, an investigational antibody targeting the UNC5C protein implicated in various neurodegenerative diseases.
Strengthening ALS Research Collaboration
This latest agreement builds upon an existing partnership between Lilly and Alchemab, initiated in January 2025, which focused on identifying and advancing up to five novel therapies for ALS. The new licensing deal for ATLX-1282 is separate from but complementary to the earlier arrangement.
Under the terms of the agreement, Alchemab will oversee early Phase I development of ATLX-1282, after which Lilly will assume responsibility for further clinical studies, regulatory activities, and potential commercialization. The financial structure includes an undisclosed upfront payment, along with discovery, development, and commercialization milestones, as well as potential royalties.
Lilly's Aggressive Dealmaking Strategy
The Alchemab deal is the latest in a series of strategic moves by Eli Lilly to bolster its pipeline across multiple therapeutic areas. In recent months, the pharmaceutical giant has engaged in several high-profile collaborations:
- A $780 million licensing agreement with Mediar Therapeutics for an idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis drug
- A potential $2.5 billion deal with Scorpion Therapeutics for a PI3Kα inhibitor targeting breast cancer and other solid tumors
- Partnerships with OliX Pharmaceuticals and AdvanCell for cardiometabolic and cancer treatments, respectively
- An $18 million upfront payment to Sangamo Therapeutics for a proprietary AAV vector capsid, with up to $1.4 billion in potential milestones
Challenges in ALS Drug Development
The collaboration between Lilly and Alchemab comes at a crucial time for ALS research, as the field has seen both progress and setbacks in recent years. While Biogen and Ionis' Qalsody received FDA approval in 2023 for a specific subset of ALS patients, other promising candidates have faced obstacles:
- Amylyx Pharmaceuticals' Relyvrio was withdrawn from the market after failing to demonstrate efficacy in a confirmatory trial
- AbbVie-Calico and Denali Therapeutics both reported phase 2/3 trial failures for their respective ALS treatments earlier this year
- Corcept Therapeutics' cortisol modulator failed to slow ALS progression in a midstage study
As Eli Lilly and Alchemab move forward with ATLX-1282, the pharmaceutical industry watches closely, hoping for a breakthrough in this challenging therapeutic area.
References
- Lilly Deepens ALS Pipeline With $415M Alchemab Licensing Deal
The Alchemab deal will further strengthen Lilly’s early-stage pipeline for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, coming less than a year after the pharma licensed QurAlis’ antisense oligonucleotide to correct a specific protein alteration in ALS.
- Eli Lilly licenses early-stage ALS drug program from Alchemab in $415M pact
Just four months after Eli Lilly and British biotech Alchemab penned a discovery collaboration, the Big Pharma is licensing its first drug asset from the deal.
Explore Further
What are the specific terms of the financial structure in Eli Lilly's licensing deal with Alchemab Therapeutics?
How does ATLX-1282's mechanism of action compare to existing ALS treatments on the market?
How are competitors in the ALS field responding to Eli Lilly's aggressive dealmaking strategy?
What are the profiles and historical achievements of Alchemab Therapeutics and Eli Lilly in ALS drug development?
Are there other companies conducting similar strategic partnerships or licensing agreements for ALS drug pipelines?