Eli Lilly and Company has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc, a clinical-stage company developing a new class of medicines for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness and other neurological conditions.

Centessa is advancing a pipeline of orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists designed to address the neurobiological system critical to the sleep-wake cycle to treat excessive daytime sleepiness and disorders of impaired wakefulness. Its lead investigational candidate cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) has demonstrated a potential best-in-class profile in Phase 2a clinical studies across narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Centessa’s OX2R agonist portfolio includes additional clinical and preclinical-stage assets with potential utility across a broader range of neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions.

“Orexin receptor biology represents one of the most compelling mechanistic opportunities in neuroscience as a direct intervention on the master switch of the sleep-wake cycle. Centessa has assembled a portfolio with the breadth and depth to improve wakefulness across a broad array of indications,” said Carole Ho, EVP and President, Lilly Neuroscience. “Joining forces with Centessa colleagues means we can now pursue that potential at the speed and scale it deserves.”

Mario Alberto Accardi, PhD, CEO of Centessa and Founder of the Orexin Program, said, “Driven by a bold vision, our team has advanced an innovative portfolio with the speed, rigor and conviction needed to lead a new era of orexin-based therapeutics. Now, we are thrilled to take our next step toward a potential combination with Lilly who shares our vision. By combining Centessa’s team and capabilities with Lilly’s global complementary research, clinical, regulatory and commercial capabilities, we will seek to accelerate the advancement of our orexin portfolio across a broad range of neuroscience indications for the benefit of patients in need.”

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.

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