A U.S. jury awarded Nektar Therapeutics $90 million in damages over a fractured licensing dispute involving Eli Lilly and rezpeg, according to the latest legal readout. The jury found Lilly breached the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, in a case tied to co-development responsibilities for the autoimmune disease candidate. The award is below the amount Nektar sought, but it remains a meaningful datapoint for biotech licensing risk in complex development relationships—particularly where partner obligations and development scope are contested. For sponsors and technology owners, the ruling underscores the financial exposure that can arise when contracts are disputed mid-development and the development plan becomes the battleground.