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Lilly enters psychedelic drug race with up to $3.8
billion AtaiBeckley deal
July 16 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly (LLY.N) will buy AtaiBeckley
(ATAI.O) for up to $3.8 billion, the company said on
Thursday, joining a race among pharma majors to
develop psychedelic treatments for depression and other
mental health conditions.
The deal taps into rising interest in psychedelics following
easing regulations under the Trump administration and
reinforces Lilly's push to use windfall weight-loss drug
profits to diversify its product portfolio.
Lilly will gain access to AtaiBeckley's lead candidate
BPL-003, a psychedelic-based nasal spray in late-stage
development for treatment-resistant depression, a severe
form of the illness that does not improve after standard
treatments.
Jefferies' Andrew Tsai estimates BPL-003 could generate
sales of more than $1 billion to $2 billion if it succeeds in
late-stage trials. AtaiBeckley expects initial results from
the trials in early 2029.
Lilly will pay $6.75 per AtaiBeckley share in cash, a
premium of about 26% to the stock's closing price on
Wednesday. AtaiBeckley's shares rose more than 30% in
morning trading.
The offer consists of $2.8 billion upfront and up to $1
billion in milestone-based payments. The companies
expect the deal to close in the third quarter.
"The acquisition aligns with Eli Lilly's expanding
neuroscience portfolio and offers upside potential in large
markets like depression," said Barclays analyst Emily
Field.
Shares of psychedelic drug developers Enveric
Biosciences (ENVB.O) and GH Research (GHRS.O)
were up 6% and 11%, respectively.
The psychedelics industry could reach $12 billion in
revenue by 2034, rivaling the size of branded
antidepressants currently at about $8 billion, said RBC
Capital Markets analyst Trung Huynh.
SURGING INTEREST IN PSYCHEDELIC-BASED
THERAPIES
Drugmakers have shown growing interest in
psychedelic-based treatments for depression and other
mental health disorders.
President Donald Trump's executive order in April
directed U.S. health regulators to speed up reviews of
certain psychedelic treatments and increased federal
funding for research in the field.
AbbVie (ABBV.N) last year bought an experimental
psychedelic-based depression drug from Gilgamesh
Pharmaceuticals for up to $1.2 billion.
New York-based AtaiBeckley was formed through a
merger between Germany-based Atai Life Sciences and
privately held Beckley Psytech in 2025. Billionaire
venture capitalist Peter Thiel was an early backer of Atai.
Current medicines for treatment-resistant depression
include Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ.N) ketamine-derived
nasal spray Spravato — which requires twice-weekly
clinic visits — or other invasive interventions.
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/lilly-enter
s-psychedelic-drug-race-with-up-38-billion-ataibeckley-deal-2026-07-16/
After reading the article, students compare the headline,
financial projections, quoted analysts and descriptions of
clinical development. They then produce a short
English-language briefing distinguishing facts, forecasts
and corporate interests.
Consider the assertions:
I. The activity is compatible with a language-education
approach that treats English as a means of accessing
and critically examining international information.
BECAUSE
II. Students must analyse how linguistic choices and
source positions influence the representation of a
contemporary event.
Mark the CORRECT alternative.
