Lilly to Buy Merida for $2.88 Billion in Autoimmune Push
Eli Lilly & Co. plans to buy Merida Biosciences Inc. for as much as $2.88 billion in cash to expand in autoimmune and allergic diseases, part of an effort to build beyond the weight-loss and diabetes markets that made it the largest pharmaceutical company in the world. Lilly has been on a record spending spree, having announced more than $20 billion in deals so far in 2026. The drugmaker has been using the windfall from its Zepbound and Mounjaro shots to diversify its pipeline, mainly targeting…