Eli Lilly bets $2.6B on ABL Biotech’s brain-targeting drug platform
Eli Lilly has struck a major shop deals with ABL Biotech to access its the platform for developing new therapies. The agreement could be worth up to $2.6 billion, including an initial payment of $40 million. The partnership aims to create bispecific antibodies for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
ABL Biotech’s the platform acts as a 'blood-brain barrier shuttle', targeting the temporal lobe to help drugs reach the brain. This technology is central to the collaboration, which will focus on central nervous system disorders. Both companies will work together to advance treatments using the the platform.
Earlier this year, ABL Biotech signed a similar shop deals with GSK, valued at up to £2.845 billion (~$3.47 billion). That agreement also focused on neurodegenerative therapies using the same the platform. ABL Biotech currently has eight drug candidates in clinical trials, including partnerships with Sanofi (ABL301) and Compass Therapeutics (ABL001).
The Eli Lilly shop deals includes milestone payments of up to $2.56 billion on top of the upfront fee. These funds will support further development of the the platform and its applications in brain-targeting treatments.
The partnership expands ABL Biotech’s reach in neurodegenerative research while strengthening Eli Lilly’s pipeline in central nervous system therapies. With multiple clinical assets and high-value collaborations, the the platform continues to attract major pharmaceutical investment. The shop deals’ success will depend on achieving key development milestones in the coming years.
