Eli Lilly and Company and AtaiBeckley, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for mental health conditions, have announced a definitive agreement for Lilly to acquire AtaiBeckley.
AtaiBeckley is advancing a pipeline of rapid-acting neuroplastogens, including multiple clinical-stage programs and a discovery pipeline of next-generation compounds. The lead asset, BPL-003 (mebufotenin benzoate), is a synthetic form of 5-MeO-DMT administered intranasally for treatment-resistant depression, which affects millions of people in the United States.
Emerging research indicates that treatment-resistant depression and other serious mental health conditions may involve a loss of synaptic plasticity, the brain’s ability to form and strengthen connections in regions critical to mood regulation. AtaiBeckley’s therapies are designed to restore synaptic connectivity and aim to promote the growth of new neural connections, offering a distinct mechanism from conventional antidepressants that primarily target neurotransmitter levels.
In a Phase 2b study, BPL-003 demonstrated rapid and durable reductions in depressive symptoms following an in-clinic visit lasting approximately two hours on average, with beneficial effects persisting for months. BPL-003 has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the US Food and Drug Administration and has initiated phase 3 activities. VLS-01, the second most advanced program of the pipeline, is a buccal film formulation of DMT advancing in an ongoing phase 2b study.
