Eli Lilly has announced a new partnership with Nimbus Therapeutics to develop a preclinical oral obesity drug, committing $55 million upfront with the potential for payments totaling up to $1.3 billion based on development, commercial, and sales milestones. This agreement marks the second collaboration between the two companies following their previous deal in October 2022 focused on small molecule activators of the AMPK protein complex for cardiometabolic diseases.
The latest partnership will leverage Nimbus’ computational chemistry and structure-based drug design to support an early-stage discovery program targeting unmet needs in obesity treatment. The companies will also pursue research related to other metabolic diseases.
Peter Tummino, president of Research and Development at Nimbus Therapeutics, stated: “Nimbus’ team, made up of computational scientists, medicinal chemists, pharmacologists and translational biologists, ‘integrate[s] AI-driven predictive models with structure-based design to develop novel small molecules with best-in-class potential.’ We are excited to collaborate with Lilly on another program, combining our discovery capabilities with their metabolic disease expertise to bring a much-needed new treatment to people with obesity and make a meaningful difference in their lives.”
Ruth Gimeno, group vice president for Diabetes and Metabolic Research and Development at Eli Lilly, highlighted Nimbus’ strengths by saying: “Working together to develop this novel obesity therapy represents an important addition to Lilly’s efforts to advance innovative treatment options for patients with metabolic disorders.”
The move comes after Eli Lilly gained an advantage over Novo Nordisk in 2025 when its oral weight loss candidate orforglipron outperformed Novo’s semaglutide in a Phase III trial. In addition, Zepbound surpassed Wegovy in prescription numbers for the first time last year. Despite Novo Nordisk securing initial regulatory approval for its oral weight loss medication before competitors, Eli Lilly is expected to maintain its lead because orforglipron—a small molecule—can be manufactured more easily than peptide-based treatments.
Orforglipron is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and benefits from a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher that may expedite approval. According to Ilya Yuffa, president of Lilly USA, the company anticipates launching orforglipron as early as the second quarter of this year.
Financial analysts project that 2026 will be significant for Eli Lilly. Leerink Partners estimates that annual revenue could reach $94.3 billion by 2027—a notable increase from $45 billion reported in 2024—with orforglipron expected as a major contributor if approved.
Pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly are increasingly investing through partnerships and venture funds to access innovative scientific developments outside their organizations while shaping future strategies.
