Weight-loss drugmaker Lilly nears $1.97 bn AtaiBeckley's acquisition: Report

Eli Lilly is in talks to acquire psychedelic drugmaker AtaiBeckley and a deal could be announced as soon ‌as ⁠this week, ⁠Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

AtaiBeckley shares soared 66% in aftermarket trading, while Lilly was flat. AtaiBeckley was up 31% so far this year ⁠and had a ‌market value of $1.97 billion as of Wednesday's close, according to ⁠LSEG data.

Lilly is negotiating a deal ​at a premium, Bloomberg News said.


Eli Lilly and AtaiBeckley were not immediately available for comment outside regular business hours. New York-based AtaiBeckley focuses on psychedelic-based treatments for mental ‌health conditions and is developing BPL-003, an intranasal formulation of 5-MeO-DMT for treatment-resistant depression.

The company's ⁠shares received a boost this year after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered health regulators ​to speed up reviews of psychedelic treatments and increased federal funding for their research.