Pharma BD Deal Intelligence
Lilly acquired Beam's opt-in rights to Verve Therapeutics' base editing cardiovascular programs (VERVE-101/102/201). Beam received $200M upfront and $50M equity investment, plus eligibility for up to $350M in development-stage payments, total deal up to $600M. UPDATE (post-deal developments): In 2024 Verve discontinued VERVE-101 after a grade-3 transient ALT elevation and serious thrombocytopenia in the Heart-1 Phase 1b trial, shifting its lead PCSK9 program to VERVE-102 (Heart-2), which uses the same base editor with a redesigned LNP. VERVE-102 reported positive initial Heart-2 data on April 14, 2025 (mean LDL-C reduction 53%, max 69% at 0.6 mg/kg; no treatment-related serious adverse events). Lilly then acquired Verve Therapeutics outright — announced June 17, 2025 and completed July 25, 2025 — for $10.50/share in cash plus a contingent value right of up to $3.00/share (total potential ~$1.3B). The 2025 acquisition consolidated the full Verve cardiovascular base-editing portfolio under Lilly, absorbing the assets to which this 2023 Beam transaction had granted only opt-in rights.