Eli Lilly Eyes €15 Billion French Biotech Deal as Weight Loss Drugs Drive Record Revenue
Eli Lilly is positioning for a major European expansion with a potential €15 billion acquisition of French biotech firm Abivax. The deal hinges on French regulatory clarity regarding foreign investment controls, with the pharmaceutical giant awaiting guidance from France's Finance Ministry before submitting a formal offer.
The company's financial firepower stems largely from its blockbuster weight loss treatments. Tirzepatide has dethroned Merck's Keytruda as the world's top-selling drug, generating $24.8 billion in revenue through September 2025. Pipeline candidates show even greater promise—Retatrutide demonstrated industry-leading 28.7% mean weight loss in Phase 3 trials, while oral treatment Orforglipron secured fast-track approval with potential launch by February 2026.
Despite trading at 33 times forward earnings, Lilly's PEG ratio of 0.98 suggests the premium valuation may be justified by growth prospects. The Abivax acquisition WOULD mark a strategic diversification beyond metabolic treatments into immunology and inflammatory diseases.