On Aug. 31, Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) announced its intention to acquire Merida Biosciences for $2.875 billion. The acquisition will expand Lilly's portfolio for serious autoimmune and allergic diseases.
Merida's lead drug candidate, MER511, is in Phase 1 development for the treatment of Graves' disease and thyroid eye disease (TED). Graves' disease affects approximately three million people in the United States. Roughly 25% to 40% of patients with Graves' disease go on to develop TED.