Eli Lilly will acquire Ventyx Biosciences in a $1.2 billion all-cash deal to strengthen its oral immunology pipeline, adding NLRP3, TYK2, and S1P1R programs targeting chronic inflammatory diseases.
Written By: Pharmacally Medical News Desk
Eli Lilly and Company has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. a San Diego-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.2 billion. Lilly will pay $14.00 per share, representing a 62% premium to Ventyx’s 30-day volume-weighted average trading price (VWAP) as of January 5, 2026.
Deal Terms
The transaction, approved by both companies’ boards, requires Ventyx stockholder approval, regulatory clearances, and customary closing conditions, with no financing contingency. Entities affiliated with New Science Ventures, plus Ventyx’s directors and officers, have signed voting and support agreements covering about 10% of outstanding shares. Closure is anticipated in the first half of 2026.
Strategic Rationale
This acquisition strengthens Lilly’s immunology pipeline beyond its obesity and diabetes blockbusters, targeting chronic inflammation a driver of cardiometabolic, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune diseases. “Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a key driver of many chronic diseases,” stated Daniel M. Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., chief scientific and product officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories. Ventyx’s oral small molecules offer alternatives to injectables, building on Lilly’s inflammatory disease expertise.
Ventyx Pipeline Overview
Ventyx has four drugs currently in clinical trials, focusing on oral therapies modulating immune pathways like NLRP3, S1P1R, and TYK2. Its inflammatory bowel disease portfolio includes two Phase II compounds: tamuzimod (VTX002), an S1P1R modulator, and VTX958, a TYK2 inhibitor. The NLRP3 inhibitors comprise VTX2735 in Phase II for recurrent pericarditis (NCT06836232) and VTX3232, which recently completed Phase II studies in patients with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors (NCT06771115) and in Parkinson’s disease (NCT06556173).
Program | Target | Key Indications | Stage |
VTX3232 | NLRP3 inflammasome | Obesity/CV risk, Parkinson’s | Phase II complete |
VTX2735 | NLRP3 | Recurrent pericarditis | Phase II (NCT06836232) |
VTX002 (Tamuzimod) | S1P1R | Inflammatory bowel disease | Phase II |
VTX958 | TYK2 | Inflammatory bowel disease | Phase II |
Leadership Perspectives
Ventyx CEO Raju Mohan emphasized that the company’s class-leading NLRP3 inhibitors are designed to address residual and chronic inflammation, a key driver of neuroinflammatory, cardiometabolic, and cardiovascular diseases, and said Lilly’s scale, focus on oral innovation, and commitment to high-unmet-need areas make it an ideal partner to advance these therapies for patients.
The transaction follows Lilly’s recent $1.3 billion agreement with Nimbus Therapeutics, highlighting continued investment in inflammation-focused, mechanism-driven innovation.
This deal diversifies Lilly’s portfolio amid its obesity drug dominance, positioning it against NLRP3 competitors like Novartis and Sanofi in cardiometabolic and neurology indications.
Ventyx’s prior Sanofi collaboration (ended 2024) and recent positive Phase 2a Parkinson’s data plus Phase 2 obesity/CV results catalysed the premium valuation, reflecting investor confidence in oral immunology. Lilly’s continued M&A activity following the Nimbus agreement signals a broader commitment to mechanism-based innovation rather than reliance on single-franchise blockbusters.
References
Lilly to acquire Ventyx Biosciences to advance oral therapies targeting inflammatory-mediated diseases, 07 January 2026, Lilly to acquire Ventyx Biosciences to advance oral therapies targeting inflammatory-mediated diseases | Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly to acquire Ventyx Biosciences to advance oral therapies targeting inflammatory-mediated diseases, 07 January 2026, https://ir.ventyxbio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-acquire-ventyx-biosciences-advance-oral-therapies
Developing novel oral therapies for autoimmune, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases, Ventyx Bioscience, https://ventyxbio.com/pipeline/#VTX2735
The NLRP3 inflammasome: A master regulator of inflammation and key immune responses, S1PR1: A validated target for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC), TYK2: Targeting the type I interferon and Th1/Th17 axis in multiple autoimmune diseases, Ventyx Bioscience, https://ventyxbio.com/science/
Nimbus, Lilly sign deal to develop new oral obesity drug, 07 January 2026, https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/nimbus-lilly-sign-deal-develop-new-oral-obesity-drug-2026-01-06/