Eli Lilly to acquire Verve Therapeutics for $1.3 billion, focusing on cardiovascular therapies

From Yahoo Finance: 2025-06-16 19:49:00

Eli Lilly is set to acquire Verve Therapeutics for up to $1.3 billion. The gene-editing startup focuses on cardiovascular therapies, with an emphasis on reducing high cholesterol in individuals with heart disease. This move aligns with Lilly’s strategy to expand beyond its current drug offerings. Verve’s stock surged 75% to $11.02 after the announcement.

The deal between Eli Lilly and Verve includes an upfront payment of nearly $1 billion, along with an additional $300 million tied to specific clinical milestones. While some analysts express skepticism about the market need for more genetic medicines in this area, others view this acquisition as a positive development for Verve and the gene-editing industry. This move allows Lilly to stay within the cardiometabolic diseases sector.

Verve’s lead therapy, VERVE-102, utilizes base editing to target the PCSK9 gene associated with cholesterol and heart health. This therapy, currently in early-stage trials, is expected to make one-time changes to patients’ DNA. With combined sales of over $30 billion projected for Lilly’s cardiometabolic treatments, the acquisition of Verve aligns with the company’s growth strategy in this therapeutic area.



Read more at Yahoo Finance: Lilly to buy gene-editing partner Verve for up to $1.3 billion in cardiac care push