Lilly has agreed to pay $1.4bn to acquire Point even though the company’s two lead candidates are out-licensed to Lantheus. The deal looks like an early-stage play to build a strong position in an emerging field.

Deal brings Lilly a Phase II activin receptor-targeting antibody that could provide another tool in battling obesity. This is Lilly’s fourth M&A transaction since 20 June.

Plus deals with Synaffix/Emergence, Helsinn/Juniper and Sanyou/Shanghai KangaBio, while Takeda/Finch and Dong-A/Beactica ended prior collaborations. 

Private Company Edition: Newpath Partners’ second fund totals $350m, Merck KGaA committed €600m to M Ventures, Eir Ventures raised €122.3m and Breakout Ventures has $112.5m. Recent financings were led by SOTIO ($317.5m), Odyssey ($218m), Avistone ($200m) and Acepodia ($109m).