Lilly Agrees to Buy Three Vaccine Developers in Infectious Disease Deal
The acquisitions of Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics, and Vaccine Company will enable the pharma giant to build a pipeline targeting viral and bacterial pathogens linked to long-term neurological and oncological risks.
Eli Lilly is advancing its entry into infectious disease vaccines by acquiring three biotech companies in deals worth up to USD 4 billion combined. The company is set to buy Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics, and Vaccine Company, which will significantly expand its research and development pipeline across infectious disease and reinforce the company’s strategy of investing in differentiated technology platforms to address serious health problems (1).
It has been reported that Lilly will pay up to USD 1.5 billion in cash to acquire Curevo, the developer of amezosvatein, an adjuvanted subunit vaccine for shingles prevention in adults. Shingles is linked to elevated stroke risk, and although current shingles vaccine Shingrix is effective, tolerability challenges limit vaccination rates and contribute to second-dose hesitancy. Curevo's candidate matched Shingrix's immune response across all primary endpoints in a Phase II head-to-head trial while reducing side effects like activity-limiting fatigue, chills, and injection site pain by more than half (2).
The LimmaTech Biologics deal could reach USD 780 million and gives Lilly vaccine candidates against bacterial pathogens where antimicrobial resistance is closing therapeutic options. LimmaTech's lead program LTB-SA7 is in Phase I development as a vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus, the leading cause of surgical-site infections. The company's platform targets toxins and superantigens that drive disease to generate broad, durable immune responses (3).
Vaccine Company represents the most expensive deal at up to USD 1.55 billion, featuring proprietary In Vivo Nanoparticle technology that enables antigen display for durable immune responses while avoiding traditional virus-like particle manufacturing burdens. The company’s lead program is a five-antigen Phase I-ready vaccine candidate for Epstein-Barr Virus, which is linked to multiple sclerosis and several malignancies.
"These acquisitions reflect a deliberate strategy to prevent disease at its source rather than treat its consequences," said Daniel M. Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific and Product Officer, and President, Lilly Research Laboratories, in a company press release (1). "Decades of evidence now link common infections to diseases that potentially emerge years later, including neurological disease, cancer and infertility. Combining these companies' platforms and teams with Lilly's global scale positions us to change that trajectory."
The deals come over seven months after Lilly appointed former FDA leader Peter Marks as Head of Infectious Disease (4) and signal the company's intent to build on its infectious disease legacy. All transactions are subject to customary closing conditions, including antitrust waiting period.
References
Lilly. Lilly Announces Three Acquisitions to Build Infectious Disease Portfolio. Press Release, May 26, 2026.
Curevo Vaccine. Curevo Enrolls First Participants in Phase 2 Extension Trial. Press Release, June 2, 2025.
LimmaTech Biologics. LimmaTech Vaccinates First Participants in Phase 1 Study of Staphylococcus aureusVaccine Candidate LBT-SA7. Press Release, February 17, 2025.
S K, S.; Mahatole, S. Eli Lilly Taps Former US FDA Official Peter Marks to Head Infectious Disease. Reuters, Oct. 8, 2025.