Eli Lilly has announced its intention to acquire three privately held vaccine companies for a total of nearly $4 billion, marking its re-entry into the vaccine and infectious disease sector after a long absence.
The acquisitions include Curevo, which is developing a shingles vaccine, LimmaTech Biologics, focused on staph infections, and Vaccine Company, which is working on a vaccine for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Analysts, including BMO Capital Markets' Evan Seigerman, suggest that these deals are strategically timed following the hiring of Dr.
Peter Marks, a former FDA vaccine regulator, and could significantly bolster Lilly's pipeline. The shingles vaccine from Curevo, known as amezosvatein, has shown promising results in clinical trials, reporting fewer side effects compared to GSK's existing vaccine, Shingrix. This could enhance patient compliance and market uptake.
The potential for a vaccine against EBV is also noteworthy, given the virus's prevalence and its association with serious health conditions. While the revenue potential from these vaccines may not rival Lilly's blockbuster drugs like Zepbound and Mounjaro, there remains a significant opportunity, particularly in the shingles market, which generated $4.8 billion in sales in 2025 for GSK.
Overall, these acquisitions reflect Lilly's strategy to prevent diseases at their source, potentially transforming its role in the healthcare landscape