Mounjaro Maker Eli Lilly Taps Swedish Firm Camurus To Target Long-Acting Obesity Market In $870-Million Deal

Swedish biopharmaceutical company Camurus AB entered a collaboration and license agreement with Eli Lilly and Co. LLY on Tuesday.

Camurus granted Eli Lilly exclusive, worldwide rights to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize long-acting incretin products for cardiometabolic health based on Camurus’ FluidCrystal technology.

The agreement comprises up to four Lilly proprietary drug compounds, selected from dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonists, triple GIP, glucagon, and GLP-1 receptor agonists, and an option to include amylin receptor agonists.

Also Read: Eli Lilly’s Zepbound Shows Superior Weight Loss Over Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy In Head-To-Head Trial

Camurus' FluidCrystal technology is designed to deliver therapeutic levels of drug substance over extended periods – from days to months – with a single injection using a prefilled syringe or autoinjector pen.

Upon contact with bodily fluids in the tissue, the lipid solution transforms into a liquid crystalline gel that quickly and effectively encapsulates the active ingredient. The drug is slowly released as the liquid crystalline matrix gradually degrades in the tissue.

The technology is commercially and regulatory validated by market approvals and product sales in Europe, the US, and Australia.

In return for granting Lilly the license to use the FluidCrystal technology for the selected incretin drug compounds for cardiometabolic health, Camurus is eligible to receive up to $290 million in upfront, development, and regulatory milestone payments, $580 million in sales-based milestone payments, and tiered mid-single-digit royalties on global net product sales.

In May, Eli Lilly agreed to acquire SiteOne Therapeutics, Inc., a private biotechnology company developing small-molecule inhibitors of sodium channels to treat pain and other neuronal hyperexcitability disorders.

The transaction includes STC-004, a Phase 2 ready Nav1.8 inhibitor being studied for pain.

STC-004 may represent a next-generation, non-opioid treatment for patients suffering from chronic pain.

In May, Eli Lilly entered into a strategic global research collaboration and licensing agreement with Rznomics Inc., a South Korea-based biopharmaceutical company specializing in RNA-based therapeutics.

The agreement focuses on developing and commercializing RNA-editing therapies using Rznomics’ proprietary trans-splicing ribozyme platform.

The collaboration focuses on discovering and developing RNA-editing therapeutics for sensorineural hearing loss. Rznomics will conduct early-stage research according to the jointly approved research plans, while Lilly will assume responsibility for further development and commercialization.

Price Action: At the last check on Wednesday, LLY stock was up 0.40% at $753.80 during the premarket session.

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