Eli Lilly agreed to acquire AtaiBeckley in a deal worth $2.8 billion upfront and up to $3.8 billion with development and regulatory milestones, pushing Lilly into psychedelic-based psychiatry. Lilly will pay $6.75 per share in cash for AtaiBeckley, according to the announced terms. AtaiBeckley’s lead program, BPL-003 (mebufotenin benzoate), is a synthetic psychedelic aimed at rapid-acting neuroplasticity effects via the serotonin system. In a Phase IIb trial (NCT05660642), a single in-clinic dose produced statistically significant reductions in depressive symptoms starting on day two, with effects reportedly maintained through day 57. The transaction signals renewed industry confidence in a complex regulatory pathway for psychedelics, and it adds to Lilly’s broader neuroscience expansion beyond its cardiometabolic foundation.