Eli Lilly has entered into a licensing agreement with Australia-based CSL to obtain rights to the anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) monoclonal antibody clazakizumab, paying $100 million upfront. The agreement provides Lilly with the opportunity to develop and commercialize the therapy in additional indications, while CSL will continue to lead its development in a specific cardiovascular setting.
Under the terms of the deal, CSL is eligible to receive further clinical, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, along with royalties on global net sales if the product reaches the market. The companies did not disclose the potential total value of these contingent payments.
Clazakizumab targets the IL-6 cytokine, a molecule involved in immune system regulation, vascular inflammation and the production of new blood cells. Elevated IL-6 levels have been associated with several chronic inflammatory disorders. The antibody was originally designed to address chronic antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in organ transplant recipients.
CSL acquired clazakizumab through its 2020 purchase of Vitaeris. Following the acquisition, CSL conducted a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the antibody for chronic AMR in kidney transplant patients. However, CSL Behring, a subsidiary of the company, terminated that Phase 3 study early due to lack of efficacy, according to information from the federal trials database.
Despite the outcome in transplant rejection, CSL has continued clinical development of clazakizumab in another setting. The company is currently running a Phase 3 trial assessing the antibody for the prevention of cardiovascular events in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) who are on dialysis. The study began in 2022 and is expected to conclude in 2029, based on trial registry data.
As part of the new agreement, CSL will retain exclusive development and commercialization rights for clazakizumab in the prevention of cardiovascular events in ESKD. Lilly, in contrast, gains the ability to explore the therapy’s potential in other conditions, although specific indications were not disclosed.
Bill Mezzanotte, CSL’s Head of Research and Development, commented on the collaboration, stating that the agreement represents progress in the company’s efforts to advance new treatments. He said, “Clazakizumab is a promising therapeutic candidate with the potential to significantly impact the treatment landscape for various immuno-inflammatory and cardiovascular conditions.” In additional remarks, Mezzanotte indicated that CSL looks forward to working with Lilly to maximize the medicine’s potential.
The licensing arrangement adds to a series of transactions completed by Lilly in 2026. The company recently acquired Orna Therapeutics in a deal valued at up to $2.4 billion, gaining access to in vivo CAR-T technology. Orna’s lead program, Orna-252, is preparing to enter clinical testing and is being developed for B cell-driven autoimmune diseases.
Lilly also purchased Ventyx Biosciences for $1.2 billion, securing two NLRP3-targeting assets currently in Phase 2 development that aim to modulate the inflammatory cascade. In addition, Lilly signed a $1.12 billion agreement with Seamless Therapeutics focused on gene editing approaches for hearing loss, and entered into another arrangement with Ventyx involving potential payments of up to $1.84 billion to advance tolerizing therapies for autoimmune disorders.
Through the clazakizumab agreement, Lilly expands its immune-inflammatory and cardiovascular pipeline, while CSL continues advancing the antibody in end-stage kidney disease.
Lilly Strikes $100M Upfront Deal for Clazakizumab
clazakizumab moves into a new strategic partnership as Eli Lilly & Company licenses the Phase 3 IL-6 antibody from Australian biotech CSL with an upfront payment of $100 million. The agreement gives clazakizumab a fresh development path beyond its original transplant focus and expands Lilly’s immunology portfolio.
What the Agreement Includes
Under the licensing arrangement, Lilly paid CSL $100 million up front for global rights to develop and commercialize clazakizumab for indications outside of CSL’s retained focus. CSL retains rights in certain core areas, while Lilly will explore additional immune-mediated and cardiovascular applications of clazakizumab.
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
- Editorial Team
