Lilly Bolsters ALS Pipeline Through $415 Million Licensing Agreement with Alchemab Therapeutics

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Eli Lilly has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Alchemab Therapeutics for ATLX-1282, a first-in-class antibody program targeting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly will pay Alchemab up to $415 million, which includes an undisclosed upfront payment as well as discovery, development, commercialization, and potential royalty payments. Alchemab will lead early Phase I trials, while Lilly will oversee the later stages of development and commercialization.¹

"As the first program from our highly novel platform, this is a landmark transaction for Alchemab,” said Jane Osbourn, CEO, Alchemab Therapeutics, in a press release. “With Lilly's deep expertise in neurological conditions, they are ideally placed to speedily advance ATLX-1282 through the clinic and maximize the potential to help patients. We believe this innovative program has enormous promise and look forward to working with Lilly to bring this to fruition.”

According to the company, ATLX-1282 was discovered using Alchemab’s proprietary platform, which integrates AI, machine learning, and lab-based science to identify naturally occurring antibodies in resilient individuals. The candidate was initially found in people genetically predisposed to frontotemporal dementia who remained healthy.¹

The collaboration builds on a prior agreement announced in January to discover, develop, and commercialize up to five ALS therapies.^1,2

According to the University of Michigan Health, the global prevalence of ALS is expected to increase by 70% by 2040.³ The ALS Association estimates there are approximately two new cases per 100,000 people annually, though this rate varies with age. Among patients in their 60s, incidence rises to three to four new cases per 100,000 people. On average, ALS is most commonly diagnosed between 55 and 65 years of age, with increasing incidence up to 80 years of age. In rare instances, the disease can occur in younger patients. The condition is more common in men.⁴

"Today's announcement is also a tremendous endorsement for Alchemab's unique approach to drug discovery,” continued Osbourn in the release. “Our revolutionary computational and wet lab-based workflow has enabled us to sift through millions of antibodies to identify this target. We think this is a powerful story demonstrating both the discovery of a novel antibody to treat neurodegenerative diseases and the development of a unique platform with great potential to provide innovative treatments across many disease settings. The transaction will support our work to advance our pipeline—including programs in metabolism, immunology, and oncology—toward the clinic, and we look forward to unveiling highly differentiated assets in these areas in due course."

References

1. Alchemab Therapeutics signs landmark $415m licensing agreement for ATLX-1282 with Eli Lilly and Company. PR Newswire. May 6, 2025. Accessed May 6, 2025. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alchemab-therapeutics-signs-landmark-415m-licensing-agreement-for-atlx-1282-with-eli-lilly-and-company-302446217.html

2. Alchemab Therapeutics enters into collaboration with Lilly to discover, research and develop novel therapies for ALS. PR Newswire. January 9, 2025. Accessed May 6, 2025. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alchemab-therapeutics-enters-into-collaboration-with-lilly-to-discover-research-and-develop-novel-therapies-for-als-302346216.html

3. ALS Facts and Figures. University of Michigan Health. Accessed May 6, 2025. https://www.uofmhealth.org/brain-neurological-conditions/als-facts-figures

4. FYI: Epidemiology of ALS and Suspected Clusters. ALS. Accessed May 6, 2025. https://www.als.org/navigating-als/resources/fyi-epidemiology-als-and-suspected-clusters