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 medicines in earlier stages as it seeks to position itself to develop the next blockbuster medicine. For more, we speak with Michelle Cortez, Bloomberg News Senior Editor for Global Business. (Source: Bloomberg)