Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2026-01-07 02:19Group 1 - Eli Lilly (LLY.US) is in advanced talks to acquire Ventyx Biosciences (VTYX.US) for over $1 billion to expand its immunology business [1] - Ventyx's stock price surged by 62.59% to $16.34 in after-hours trading, indicating a market capitalization increase of $433.9 million based on the acquisition price [1] - The acquisition discussions coincide with the upcoming J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, a traditional hotspot for M&A activity in the pharmaceutical industry [1] Group 2 - Eli Lilly aims to further expand its business in immunology, building on its successes in diabetes and obesity treatments that have attracted investor and patient interest [1] - The company currently markets several drugs for inflammatory diseases, including Taltz, although the key patent protection for Taltz is set to expire in the coming years [1] - In 2024, Eli Lilly acquired Morphic Therapeutics for $3.2 billion to gain an experimental drug for inflammatory bowel disease and spent $2.4 billion on Dice Therapeutics, which develops oral therapies for psoriasis [2]