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Lilly To Bolster IBD Pipeline With $3.2bn Morphic Bid

 
• By Joseph Haas

With only one inflammatory bowel disease product, Lilly is betting big on Morphic and its Phase II oral integrin MORF-057, which would directly compete with Takeda blockbuster Entyvio.

Eli Lilly logo sign atop Lilly Biotechnology Center campus
Lilly will add oral integrins to its pipeline via $3.2bn bid for Morphic • Source: Shutterstock

Already a major player in integrin therapy for diabetes and obesity with Mounjaro/Zepbound (tirzepatide), Eli Lilly and Company now is looking to that drug class to add critical mass in gastrointestinal disease, announcing a $3.2bn bid on 8 July to acquire Morphic Therapeutic, Inc. and its Phase II MORF-057, an oral alpha-four/beta-7 (α4β7)-targeting compound in development for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Lilly is wagering that Morphic’s candidate will offer an efficacy and safety profile sufficient to compete with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd

Key Takeaways

  • Lilly and Morphic have agreed on a takeout valued at $3.2bn, which would bring the larger company a Phase II oral integrin for IBD indications

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