Eli Lilly and Company is in advanced discussions to acquire Verve Therapeutics for approximately $1.3 billion, according to sources familiar with the transaction. The potential deal sent Verve’s stock soaring 86% in premarket trading Wednesday, reflecting investor enthusiasm for the gene-editing specialist’s innovative cardiovascular therapies.
Acquisition Highlights Strategic Shift
The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical leader is seeking to bolster its genetic medicine capabilities through the purchase of Verve, which specializes in CRISPR-based treatments for heart disease. The proposed acquisition would grant Lilly access to Verve’s lead program VERVE-101, an investigational therapy designed to permanently lower LDL cholesterol through single-course gene editing.
Market Reaction and Valuation Considerations
- 92% premium to Verve’s Tuesday closing market capitalization
- 8.5x the company’s last reported cash reserves
- 37% discount to Verve’s 2021 IPO valuation
Lilly shares showed minimal movement in premarket activity, indicating investor confidence in management’s capital allocation strategy following recent successes with diabetes and obesity treatments.
Scientific and Commercial Potential
Verve’s pipeline addresses a $120 billion global market for cardiovascular therapies, with its flagship program showing:
- 55% LDL reduction in early-stage trials
- Potential to transform chronic treatment into one-time therapy
- Strong patent protection through 2041
The acquisition would complement Lilly’s existing genetic medicine initiatives, including recent collaborations with Precision BioSciences and ProQR. Industry analysts note the deal could accelerate development timelines by leveraging Lilly’s established cardiovascular commercial infrastructure.
Regulatory filings reveal the transaction could close as early as Q3 2024, pending antitrust review. The purchase would mark Lilly’s largest gene therapy acquisition since its $1.4 billion purchase of Prevail Therapeutics in 2020, underscoring the company’s commitment to next-generation treatment modalities.
Related topics：
