What is the $1.3B deal between Lilly and Superluminal Medicines about?

The $1.3 billion deal between pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Superluminal Medicines aims to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technology to discover and develop new drugs to treat obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases.

How big is the obesity treatment market that Lilly is targeting?

The obesity treatment market is estimated to be worth $150 billion by the next decade, making it a lucrative and attractive target for pharmaceutical companies like Lilly.

What is Lilly's strategy to strengthen its position in the obesity treatment space?

Lilly is pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to solidify its dominance in the obesity treatment market, including developing next-generation drugs, making acquisitions, and forming strategic partnerships like the one with Superluminal Medicines.

Home / Business and Economy / Lilly Inks $1.3B Deal with Superluminal to Tackle Obesity via AI

Lilly Inks $1.3B Deal with Superluminal to Tackle Obesity via AI

14 Aug

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Summary

Lilly signs $1.3B deal with Superluminal to discover AI-driven obesity drugs
Obesity treatment market estimated to reach $150B in the next decade
Lilly aims to strengthen its foothold in the obesity space

Lilly Inks $1.3B Deal with Superluminal to Tackle Obesity via AI

On August 14, 2025, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announced a significant $1.3 billion deal with privately held Superluminal Medicines to discover and develop small-molecule drugs using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The partnership aims to tackle the growing obesity epidemic and other cardiometabolic diseases.

Lilly, which currently dominates the obesity treatment market, is seeking to strengthen its foothold in this rapidly expanding field. Industry analysts estimate the obesity treatment market to be worth $150 billion by the next decade, making it an attractive target for pharmaceutical companies.

Through this collaboration, Lilly will gain access to Superluminal's proprietary AI-driven platform to rapidly identify potential drug candidates targeting G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These receptors play a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes, including metabolism, cell growth, and immune responses.

The deal comes on the heels of a similar $2.2 billion agreement between Danish rival Novo Nordisk and U.S. biotech Septerna to develop oral small-molecule medicines targeting GPCRs for obesity and other cardiometabolic conditions.

Lilly has been capitalizing on the overwhelming popularity of the GLP-1 class of medicines, which includes its blockbuster drug Zepbound and Novo's Wegovy. The company is also developing an oral GLP-1 drug, orforglipron, which has faced some challenges in meeting investors' high expectations.

In a separate move, Lilly teamed up with Hong Kong-listed biotech Laekna last year to develop an experimental obesity drug that aims to help patients lose weight while preserving muscle mass.

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