Eli Lilly Expands Beyond GLP 1s With Orna Deal And Nvidia Alliance

Simply Wall St

Sun, February 15, 2026 at 1:06 AM GMT+9 4 min read

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Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) has agreed to acquire Orna Therapeutics, moving into engineered RNA medicines for autoimmune diseases and other conditions.

The company has entered a US$1b artificial intelligence drug discovery collaboration with Nvidia to support its research pipeline.

Eli Lilly is preparing for a potential launch of its oral weight loss drug orforglipron, with an FDA decision expected in the near term and pre-launch inventory already being built.

Eli Lilly, long associated with diabetes care and more recently obesity treatments, is now pushing into cell and genetic therapies through the planned Orna Therapeutics acquisition. By adding engineered RNA medicines to its toolkit, the company is aiming to broaden its reach across autoimmune and other complex diseases, while obesity and diabetes remain central to its story.

For you as an investor, the Nvidia AI partnership and orforglipron launch preparations highlight how Lilly is working to reshape its research engine and product mix at the same time. The outcomes of the Orna deal, the AI collaboration, and the upcoming FDA decision on orforglipron may be important markers to watch as the company positions itself within weight loss treatments and next generation therapies.

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For Eli Lilly, the Orna acquisition and Nvidia AI alliance sit on top of already very strong GLP 1 momentum rather than replacing it. Orna’s circular RNA platform and its ORN 252 program point to a future where Lilly is not just a diabetes and obesity company, but also a player in autoimmune and in vivo cell therapies alongside peers such as Novo Nordisk, Pfizer and Roche. The US$1b Nvidia partnership is aimed at turning Lilly’s sizeable R&D budget and data into a more efficient discovery engine, potentially shortening timelines and widening the pool of drug candidates across oncology, immunology and neurology. At the same time, building US$1.5b of orforglipron inventory ahead of a potential FDA decision concentrates a lot of near term expectations into one oral GLP 1 launch. For you as an investor, this mix of heavy front loaded spending on AI and genetic medicine, plus a large bet on orforglipron, means Lilly is leaning into growth projects while using its current GLP 1 cash flows and buybacks to support that shift.

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How This Fits Into The Eli Lilly Narrative

The Orna deal and Nvidia partnership support the narrative’s focus on a broad, high value pipeline and global expansion in obesity, cardiometabolic and specialty medicines, building out new therapy platforms alongside GLP 1s.

Heavier investment in genetic medicine and AI, with uncertain payoffs and timelines, could challenge the narrative’s assumption of steadily rising margins if R&D and integration costs stay high for longer.

The community narrative highlights GLP 1 pricing, policy and capacity, but the specific impact of in vivo CAR T and circular RNA therapies from Orna, and AI powered discovery with Nvidia, is not fully reflected and could change long term diversification and risk.

Knowing what a company is worth starts with understanding its story. Check out one of the top narratives in the Simply Wall St Community for Eli Lilly to help decide what it’s worth to you.

The Risks and Rewards Investors Should Consider

Heavy reliance on GLP 1 drugs, including orforglipron, means any regulatory, pricing or reimbursement changes could have an outsized effect on Lilly’s earnings profile.

The Orna acquisition and US$1b Nvidia collaboration add significant R&D and integration commitments, and there is a risk that some programs fail clinically or commercially after substantial spend.

The Orna deal gives Lilly access to a new class of genetic and cell therapies that could diversify revenue sources beyond obesity and diabetes over time.

The Nvidia AI collaboration is designed to improve productivity across Lilly’s research pipeline, which, if successful, could support a steady stream of new drugs in multiple therapeutic areas.

What To Watch Going Forward

From here, you may want to watch three things in particular. First, the timeline and outcome of the FDA decision on orforglipron, given the US$1.5b inventory build and Lilly’s guidance for a potential second quarter 2026 US launch and 2027 international rollout. Second, how Lilly updates investors on Orna’s ORN 252 trials and any new in vivo cell therapy programs, which will indicate whether the acquisition is translating into a broader autoimmune franchise. Third, progress updates from the Nvidia collaboration, such as new AI discovered candidates entering the clinic or commentary on R&D productivity. Together with policy moves around GLP 1 pricing and coverage, these factors will shape how durable Lilly’s current obesity led leadership looks over the next few years.

To ensure you’re always in the loop on how the latest news impacts the investment narrative for Eli Lilly, head to the community page for Eli Lilly to never miss an update on the top community narratives.

_ This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned._

Companies discussed in this article include LLY.

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