Centessa (NASDAQ: CNTA) investors approve Eli Lilly acquisition scheme
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc reported that its shareholders overwhelmingly approved the court-sanctioned Scheme of Arrangement under which an Eli Lilly subsidiary will acquire all Centessa shares. At the scheme meeting, 126,653,456 votes were cast for the proposal and 23,007 against, meeting the U.K. legal thresholds.
Shareholders also passed a company resolution authorizing the board to take actions needed to implement the scheme and amend the articles. Separately, at the 2026 Annual General Meeting, all ordinary resolutions passed, including re-appointing three directors and KPMG as auditor, and receiving the 2025 accounts with no dividend recommended. The Court Sanction Hearing for the scheme is scheduled for June 22, 2026 in London.
Positive
- Shareholders overwhelmingly approved the Scheme of Arrangement, with 126,653,456 votes for and 23,007 against, satisfying the U.K. requirement for a majority in number representing at least 75% in value of members present and voting.
- Board implementation authority and governance changes were approved, as shareholders passed the resolution empowering directors to take all actions necessary to carry the scheme into effect and to amend the company’s articles accordingly.
- Annual General Meeting support for leadership and auditors was strong, with all director re-appointments passing and KPMG confirmed as both U.K. statutory auditor and U.S. registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2026.
Negative
- None.
Insights
Shareholders strongly backed the Lilly acquisition, leaving court approval as the main remaining hurdle.
Centessa’s shareholders approved the Scheme of Arrangement with 126,653,456 votes in favor and only 23,007 against, and all seven shareholders of record voted for it. This clears a key shareholder condition for Eli Lilly’s proposed acquisition via a U.K. court scheme.
A companion resolution authorizing the board to implement the scheme and amend the articles also passed, aligning governance mechanics with the transaction. The Court Sanction Hearing on June 22, 2026 is now critical, as the court must sanction the scheme before it can become effective.
The Annual General Meeting results show broad support for the existing board and KPMG as auditor, while confirming no dividend for the year ended December 31, 2025. Forward-looking language highlights risks that the acquisition might be delayed or not close and that contingent value right holders may receive no payments, underscoring dependence on future development and milestone outcomes.