VERV - Verve and Lilly Relationship Expands to Include Verve's In Vivo Gene Editing Programs Targeting PCSK9 and ANGPTL3 | Benzinga
BOSTON, Oct. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verve Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new approach to the care of cardiovascular disease with single-course gene editing medicines, today announced the expansion of its relationship with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly). Lilly has acquired from Beam Therapeutics certain product rights to Verve's cardiovascular in vivo gene editing programs targeting PCSK9 and ANGPTL3, as well as a third undisclosed cardiovascular disease (CVD) target. Verve's PCSK9 product candidates, VERVE-101 and VERVE-102, and ANGPTL3 product candidate, VERVE-201, are designed to potently and durably lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol throughout the lifetime of patients with or at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), the most common form of CVD.
For the PCSK9 and ANGPTL3 product candidates, Lilly now holds the product rights previously held by Beam, including the right to opt-in to share 33% of worldwide development expenses and to jointly commercialize and share profits and expenses related to commercialization in the United States on a 50/50 basis. Verve holds all product rights for the PCSK9 and ANGPTL3 programs outside the United States. Under the collaboration agreement, Verve retains control of the development and commercialization of all collaboration products. Additionally, Lilly also acquired Beam's right to opt-in to co-fund and share in potential profits on similar terms for a third undisclosed CVD target.
"We are thrilled to gain Lilly as a potential long-term partner for the next stage of development of our gene editing medicines for people with ASCVD," said Sekar Kathiresan, M.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of Verve. "Lilly brings valuable know-how in the cardiometabolic space, as well as commercialization expertise of products for large indications. Lilly's significant investment in acquiring Beam's product rights confirms Lilly's confidence in Verve's programs and the supporting preclinical and interim clinical data. We continue to be impressed by Lilly's commitment to genetic medicines, and their team's interest in applying gene editing technology to the cardiometabolic space closely aligns with Verve's ...