Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR): $115 Million Lawsuit Victory Over Eli Lilly Clears Multi-Year Overhang

Missouri AG Catherine Hanaway ordered Eli Lilly to stop requiring hospitals to provide claims data for discounted drug prices under the 340B program. Lilly's policy, which began this year, demands extensive data from hospitals, leading to a cutoff for the University of Missouri Health Care after it refused. The AG's office accuses Lilly of misleading consumers and abusing market power, threatening enforcement action if the company does not comply.

Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) announced leadership changes, including Patrik Jonsson's retirement in 2026 and Ilya Yuffa's promotion to lead a consolidated global markets division in 2027. Laura Steele and Elias Khalil will also take on new roles. The reorganization consolidates geographic operations under a single structure, according to the company.

Five Massachusetts hospitals sued Eli Lilly, alleging the drugmaker violated a federal law by demanding patient data in exchange for discounted drug prices. The hospitals claim Lilly is using its market power to extort data, while Lilly argues it needs the data to prevent discount misuse. The case involves the 340B program, which provides drug discounts to hospitals serving uninsured and low-income patients.

A study published in JAMA found that 5-MeO-DMT, a psychedelic from toad venom, significantly reduced symptoms in treatment-resistant depression patients. Administered as a nasal spray, the drug showed remission rates of 18-26% after a month. The study was funded by AtaiBeckley, recently acquired by Eli Lilly, which plans further evaluation. Side effects were mostly mild, with headaches and nausea being common.

Eli Lilly (LLY) won a preliminary ruling against Novo Nordisk's request to block its ads for Zepbound and Mounjaro. The judge found insufficient evidence of harm to Novo's sales or reputation. Both companies compete in a multi-billion-dollar weight-loss market. The case continues, with Novo seeking to prove false advertising claims.

InnoCare Pharma reported a 88.2% revenue increase to RMB 2.1 billion for the first nine months of 2026, with net profit reaching RMB 648.3 million. Growth was driven by strong drug sales and a global collaboration with Eli Lilly. The company's stock (9969.HK) fell 1.64% on the news.