Centessa to be Acquired by Eli Lilly for $38 per Share
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 22 2026
0mins
Centessa (CNTA) which entered into a definitive agreement relating to its proposed acquisition by Eli Lilly (LLY), through a wholly owned subsidiary, announced that the High Court of Justice of England and Wales has approved the proposal for Lilly to acquire Centessa for $38.00 in cash per share plus one non-transferable contingent value right that entitles the holder to receive up to an aggregate of $9.00 subject to the achievement of three milestones, for a total transaction value of approximately $7.8B. The transaction is being implemented by way of a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under English law. Centessa announced that the court has issued the court order sanctioning the scheme. Closing of the transaction will occur and the Scheme will become effective upon the court order being delivered to the Registrar of companies, which is expected to occur on June 24. The last day of trading of Centessa American depositary shares on Nasdaq is expected to be tomorrow, June 23, with trading in Centessa ADSs on Nasdaq being halted before the opening of trading on June 24.
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Analyst Views on CNTA
Wall Street analysts forecast CNTA stock price to fall
13 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 40.500
Low
27.00
Averages
38.75
High
62.00
Current: 40.500
Low
27.00
Averages
38.75
High
62.00
About CNTA
Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. The Company is developing a new class of potential therapies within its orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist program for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), impaired attention, cognitive deficits, fatigue and other symptoms across neurological, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. It also has an early-stage immuno-oncology program focused on its LockBody technology platform. Its OX2R agonist pipeline includes ORX750, its advanced OX2R agonist development candidate, and ORX142, ORX489 and OX2R agonists in preclinical development. Its ORX750, an investigational, orally administered, highly potent and selective OX2R agonist, is in a Phase IIa study of participants with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), NT2 and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH). ORX142 is the second OX2R agonist development candidate being advanced for the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders and other symptoms.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Focus on Neuroscience: Management highlighted that Centessa's research centers on orexin receptor 2 agonists, which regulate wakefulness and sleep stability, indicating Eli Lilly's strong push into neuroscience and sleep medicine, potentially opening up broader market opportunities.
See More
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- Shareholder Compensation Structure: Under the agreement, Centessa shareholders will receive $38.00 in cash per share along with a non-transferable contingent value right (CVR) worth up to $9.00, incentivizing shareholder support for the transaction and ensuring future milestone achievements.
- Transaction Timeline: The completion of the transaction and scheme implementation is expected to occur upon the court order being delivered to the Registrar of Companies on June 24, 2026, providing a clear timeline for stakeholders and ensuring smooth execution of the deal.
- Market Reaction: Centessa's American Depositary Shares (ADSs) are expected to trade for the final time on Nasdaq on June 23, 2026, with trading suspension before market opening on June 24, reflecting positive market sentiment regarding the acquisition.
See More
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- Increasing Deal Sizes: The average deal size has climbed to $527.3 million in 2026, up from $365 million in 2025, indicating that pharmaceutical firms are focusing on acquiring high-value assets to enhance their product portfolios and competitive positioning in the market.
- Strategic Acquisition Preferences: Companies are shifting towards strategic “bolt-on” acquisitions in the $1 billion to $5 billion range rather than large leveraged buyouts or mega-mergers, enabling them to quickly supplement near-commercial products while also investing in early-stage assets to access innovative technologies.
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- Significant Market Capitalization Growth: The company's market capitalization has surged to approximately $1 trillion, up from $190 billion in 2021, making it the first healthcare company to join the trillion-dollar club, highlighting its leadership position and investor confidence.
- Diversification of Acquisition Targets: Lilly is broadening its acquisition focus beyond oncology, neuroscience, and cardiometabolic health to include three vaccine companies, indicating its intent to explore new areas and enhance overall business capabilities.
- Future Growth Potential: Executives at Lilly have stated that future acquisitions will not have arbitrary spending limits, emphasizing the importance of scientific appeal and potential patient impact, which showcases the company's ambitious goals in drug development and market expansion.
See More
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- Financial Strength Boost: Eli Lilly is leveraging the financial strength from its GLP-1 drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound to plan over $10 billion in acquisition spending in 2023, showcasing the company's robust growth potential in the pharmaceutical industry.
- Acquisition Strategy Shift: Lilly has already announced acquisition amounts exceeding last year's total of $4 billion, indicating a strategic shift from early-stage assets to more promising experimental drugs aimed at enhancing long-term growth.
- Market Position Consolidation: With a market capitalization of approximately $1 trillion, Eli Lilly has become the first pharmaceutical company to join the trillion-dollar club, reflecting its leadership in the industry and confidence in future investments.
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