Eli Lilly Acquires Verve Therapeutics for 1.3 Billion Dollar Gene Editing Breakthrough

On June 17, 2025, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly announced the acquisition of Verve Therapeutics for up to $1.3 billion, including a $1 billion upfront payment. Following the announcement, Verve’s stock soared by over 80% at market close.

Eli Lilly has been collaborating with Verve to develop a gene editing therapy, which could transform high cholesterol treatment into a single-dose solution. Dubbed a "vaccine" for heart disease prevention, this innovation could revolutionize cardiovascular care. Verve’s lead candidate, Verve-102, uses CRISPR gene editing to target the PCSK9 protein. Preliminary results from the Phase 1b Heart-2 trial showed an average 53% LDL-C reduction, with some patients achieving as much as 69%, with no major safety issues reported. The company plans to begin Phase 2 dosing in late 2025.

Meanwhile, analysts remain divided. While Eli Lilly’s VP of Diabetes and Metabolic R&D, Ruth Gimeno, called Verve-102 a “potential first-in-class in vivo gene editing therapy” for heart disease, others like BMO Capital Markets’ Evan Seigerman expressed doubt about the short-term demand. He argued that existing PCSK9 inhibitors, including long-acting injections and oral drugs under development, already meet much of the market’s needs.

The PCSK9 inhibitor market is highly competitive, with drugs like Amgen’s Repatha and Sanofi/Regeneron’s Praluent already well-established. In China, domestic players such as Hengrui, Innovent, and Junshi Biosciences have launched cost-effective alternatives, reducing treatment costs to 300 RMB per injection. Oral therapies, expected to lower LDL-C by over 50%, are projected to push the PCSK9 market from $4 billion today to $12 billion by 2034, according to Goldman Sachs.

Eli Lilly’s bold move signals confidence in gene editing’s potential to redefine cardiovascular care, despite skepticism and competition from existing therapies and emerging oral solutions.