Eli Lilly has agreed to acquire Ajax Therapeutics in a deal valued at up to $2.3 billion, featuring an upfront payment and subsequent milestones tied to clinical and regulatory success. This acquisition marks another significant expansion of Lilly’s oncology portfolio, following its multi-billion dollar investments in Kelonia Therapeutics and Centessa Pharmaceuticals.
The centerpiece of the acquisition is AJ1-11095, a first-in-class, once-daily oral Type II JAK2 inhibitor currently in Phase I clinical trials (AJX-101). While all currently approved JAK2 inhibitors for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are Type I inhibitors, AJ1-11095 binds to a structurally distinct Type II conformation of the JAK2 protein. This novel mechanism is engineered to provide deeper and more durable efficacy, specifically targeting patients with myelofibrosis who have developed resistance or lost response to conventional Type I therapies.
Having been a founding strategic investor in Ajax, Lilly has firsthand familiarity with the drug’s development program. Clinical proof-of-concept data are anticipated in late 2026. Following these results, Lilly intends to rapidly advance AJ1-11095 into registrational trials, leveraging its hematology expertise to potentially deliver a critical new therapeutic option for patients with MPNs worldwide.
Source: https://www.pharmexec.com/view/eli-lilly-enters-2-billion-agreement-acquire-ajax-therapeutics