Cardiology Pharmaceuticals

Lilly Diversifies Weight Loss Pipeline with Versanis Acquisition

Eli Lilly bolstered its already strong position in the white hot obesity drug segment, acquiring cardiometabolic disease biopharma startup Versanis for up to $1.92 billion.

Versanis was founded in 2021 with the specific goal of developing bimagrumab, a monoclonal antibody to activin type II receptors that directly targets fat mass by blocking activin and myostatin signaling. 

  • Versanis has only raised a $70M Series A, so this “up to” $1.92B acquisition highlights the value that pharma companies are placing on weight loss leadership.

Bimagrumab is already being assessed with overweight adults in a Phase 2b trial, both as a monotherapy and when used in combination with semaglutide (Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 Ozempic/Wegovy).

  • Lilly seems particularly interested in combining bimagrumab with “incretins” (a drug class that includes Lilly’s tirzepatide… or Nordisk’s semaglutide), suggesting that this combo could further reduce fat while preserving muscle mass, leading to better overall patient outcomes.

The acquisition is also another signal that Lilly is taking a diversified approach to the high-stakes weight loss treatment segment.

  • Lilly’s current GLP-1/GIP drug tirzepatide (aka Mounjaro) excelled in a recent weight loss trial, paving the way for its FDA submission for obesity (it’s already approved for T2D)
  • Lilly’s investigative GCG/GLP-1/GIP drug retatrutide achieved the greatest weight loss results we’ve seen so far (24.2% at 48 weeks), plus a range of cardiometabolic improvements in a recent Phase 2 trial 
  • Lilly’s pill-based investigative GLP-1 orforglipron showed similar promise last month, reducing body fat by 9.4% to 14.7% over 36 weeks

This acquisition adds a completely new weight loss mechanism to Lilly’s portfolio, although Lilly seems more focused on “the potential of bimagrumab in combination with its incretin therapies.”

The Takeaway

Lilly’s investments in weight loss (both M&A and R&D) seem justified by the massive demand we’re seeing for current GLP-1s, and the recent estimates that this segment might be worth $100B by 2030. And although bimagrumab is unproven, this high-premium acquisition would be more than justified if bimagrumab’s activin blocking capabilities combined with incretins’ glucose-lowering properties prove to be a magic combination for weight loss.

Get twice-weekly insights on the biggest stories shaping cardiology.

You might also like

Cardiac Imaging June 16, 2025

Beyond Hardware: Is AI the Answer to Making Cardiac Imaging more Accessible? June 16, 2025

Sponsored by Philips Healthcare Cardiac imaging has traditionally improved through hardware advances, enabling the speed needed for high-quality images. However, hardware is rapidly reaching its physical limitations in suppressing cardiac motion and represents a large financial investment. Today, software and AI are driving the next leap in cardiac image quality and motion control – offering […]

Cardiology Pharmaceuticals June 12, 2025

FDA Approves a New BP Triple Polypill June 12, 2025

Bringing a more effective BP therapy to the U.S. market, the FDA approved George Medicines’ triple therapy polypill called Widaplik for patients with hypertension, making it the first of its kind to go to market in the U.S. Widaplik’s approval stems from two studies, including one comparing the polypill against placebo as an initial treatment […]

Cardiology Pharmaceuticals June 12, 2025

Pharmacologic Preconditioning to Improve Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery  June 12, 2025

The majority of patients undergoing cardiac surgery, especially those on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), experience post-operative complications such as new-onset atrial fibrillation (POAF) and acute kidney injury (AKI), largely driven by oxidative stress and inflammation.   Several approaches have been explored to reduce complications following cardiac surgery, however, a clinically meaningful impact has yet to be realized.  […]

You might also like..

Select All

You're signed up!

It's great to have you as a reader. Check your inbox for a welcome email.

-- The Cardiac Wire Team

You're all set!