Organon and Lilly expand migraine treatment deal to new markets

Organon and Eli Lilly and Company have strengthened their commercial partnership, granting Organon exclusive distribution and promotion rights for the migraine medication Emgality (galcanezumab) in 11 additional markets. These newly included territories are Canada, Colombia, Israel, Kuwait, Mexico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

The financial terms of this enhanced agreement involve an upfront payment of $22.5 million to Lilly, alongside further sales-based milestone payments. This expansion builds on Organon’s existing distribution responsibilities for Emgality in Europe, which began in February 2024.

Kevin Ali, CEO of Organon, highlighted the significance of this expanded partnership, noting Organon’s strong commercialization capabilities, extensive global reach, and specialized knowledge in women’s health. He remarked, “The broadening of this agreement is a testament to Organon’s best-in-class commercialisation capabilities, global footprint and deep expertise in women’s health. We know that migraine ranks as the leading cause of disability among young women and we’re proud to expand our offering to more women and men around the world living with episodic or chronic migraine.”

Emgality is a humanized monoclonal antibody that functions as a calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonist. It is specifically designed as a preventive treatment for migraines in adults. In certain regions, the medication is indicated for patients who experience at least four migraine days each month. Additionally, Emgality is approved for treating episodic cluster headaches in adults within some markets.

With this expanded agreement, Organon will take on full responsibility for distributing and promoting Emgality in the new markets. Eli Lilly will maintain its role as the marketing authorization holder and will continue to manufacture the product for sale.

Ilya Yuffa, executive vice-president and president of Lilly International, expressed enthusiasm about the extended collaboration, stating, “We are thrilled to expand this collaboration agreement with Organon. We’re confident in our shared mission to bring this important migraine treatment to more patients around the world.”

This development follows Eli Lilly’s recent acquisition of Morphic Holding for $3.2 billion, a move aimed at enhancing its portfolio in inflammatory bowel disease treatments.