AtaiBeckley (ATAI) shares are ripping higher on Thursday morning after pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly (LLY) said it will acquire the clinical-stage biotechnology firm for up to $3.8 billion.
Lilly has agreed to pay $6.75 a share in cash upfront ($2.8 billion) – with an additional $2.5 a share in contingent value rights (CVRs) tied to critical clinical and regulatory milestones.
Following today’s cosmic run, AtaiBeckley stock is trading at more than 2x its price in early March.
Why is Lilly paying a premium for ATAI stock
Eli Lilly is deploying its massive cash windfalls from blockbuster weight-loss drugs to “diversify” into high-growth frontiers.
By acquiring AtaiBeckley, the NYSE-listed firm enters the psychedelic-derived mental health race to challenge rivals like Johnson & Johnson.
The crown jewel of the deal is BPL-003, a Phase III-ready, fast-acting intranasal formulation of 5-MeO-DMT designed to treat treatment-resistant depression in single, two-hour clinic sessions.
Note that a supportive regulatory climate, sparked by a major executive order in April to accelerate FDA evaluations for psychedelic therapies, has made late-stage neuro-psychiatric assets incredibly lucrative targets for big pharma.
Is there any further upside left in AtaiBeckley shares?
Despite a meteoric rally in AtaiBeckley shares this morning, the firm looks poised for further gains in the back half of 2026.
At the time of writing, the biotechnology company is exchanging hands at about $7.15, which sits handily above Lilly’s upfront cash offer, indicating the market is actively pricing in the probability of CVRs paying out.
If ATAI’s pipeline assets like VLS-01 and BPL-003 meet their respective late-stage trials and FDA approval milestones, shareholders will net up to an extra $2.50 per share, bringing the total payout to $9.25.
Compared to that, the biotech stock is still trading at a discount.
Note that analysts at Oppenheimer have announced a $16 price target for AtaiBeckley, reinforcing that Eli Lilly’s massive infrastructure is the perfect engine to maximize this psychedelic portfolio.
Buy Eli Lilly to play psychedelic medicines market
All in all, the high-profile agreement is more than just a win for ATAI shares – it is a “watershed” moment that validates the entire psychedelic medicine sector.
Sector peers reacted immediately to the news, with competitor GH Research soaring roughly 15% and Compass Pathways rising 7% in sympathy.
As traditional antidepressants continue to face efficacy limits, the pharma industry is recognizing that rapid-acting, durable treatments like BPL-003 represent the true future of psychiatric care.
With the deal expected to close in the third quarter, Eli Lilly has officially signaled that psychedelic neuroscience is no longer an alternative science – it is mainstream medicine.
And LLY shares are now positioned as a name to play in that therapeutic area.
The consensus rating on Eli Lilly sits at Strong Buy currently, with the mean objective target of nearly $1,290 indicating significant further upside from current levels.
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