Lilly Reacquires Aurora Kinase Inhibitor Via AurKa Buy For $110m

Many Aurora kinase inhibitors have entered development, but while none have had a successful end, Lilly believes the specificity of AurKa's AK-01 will make it a safer drug. The asset fits well into Lilly's oncology strategy, which includes both targeted therapies and immuno-oncology drugs.

Handshake of businessmen

Eli Lilly & Co. said on May 14 that it will pay $110m up front to buy AurKa Pharma Inc. in a deal that will bring the Aurora kinase inhibitor AK-01 back home to Lilly, which licensed the molecule to AurKa's founding investor TVM Capital Life Science after the cancer drug candidate was deprioritized.

AurKa's investors stand to earn up to $465m in regulatory and sales milestone fees if Lilly wins US FDA and...

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