Eli Lilly signed a research and licensing agreement with Ascidian Therapeutics to develop genetic medicines for kidney diseases. The total deal value reaches up to $1.9 billion. Lilly will provide an undisclosed upfront payment alongside potential development and commercial milestones. Ascidian remains eligible for tiered royalties on future worldwide product sales.
The collaboration leverages Ascidian's RNA exon editing platform. This technology corrects disease-causing mutations by rewriting RNA without changing a patient's DNA.
Ascidian will manage discovery and initial preclinical activities for undisclosed kidney disease targets. Lilly will oversee clinical development, manufacturing, and global commercialization. The agreement marks a significant expansion of Lilly's genetic medicine portfolio.