Eli Lilly Agrees to Acquire ICOS for $2.1 Billion

Indianapolis, IN (Oct. 17)-Eli Lilly and Company (www.lilly.com) agreed to acquire ICOS Corporation (Bothell, WA, www.icos.com) for $2.1 billion.

The companies have partnered since 1998 in Lilly ICOS LLC, a joint venture that manufactures, markets and sells “Cialis” (tadalafil), an oral PDE-5 inhibitor. Cialis had global sales of $465 million in the first half of 2006. 

The deal is expected to close in late 2006 or early 2007.