Lilly pledges up to $237M per program in CNS genetic med collab with Canadian biotech

Biotech Lilly pledges up to $237M per program in CNS genetic med collab with Canadian biotech By James Waldron Sep 15, 2026 8:42am Eli Lilly gene editing Licensing deals neuroscience Eli Lilly’s ongoing attempt to strengthen its genetic medicine offering has seen the company pledge up to $237 million in biobucks per program as part of a collaboration with QurCan Therapeutics. The deal focuses on using the Canadian biotech’s TERP—which stands for target-engineered responsive polymer—platform to facilitate the polymer-lipid nanoparticle (PLNP) delivery of genetic medicines to the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The pact will see Lilly and QurCan collaborate on “multiple research programs,” according to a Sept 15.

release. QurCan is in charge of optimizing the genetic medicines that will use the TERP platform with Lilly taking responsibility for “further research, clinical development and commercialization of the selected programs.” The companies didn’t offer a detailed breakdown of the financials, but they did say that Lilly would make an undisclosed strategic investment in QurCan as well as an upfront payment. The biotech could potentially be in line for up to $237 million in research, development and commercial milestone payments per program, as well as a slice of the royalties should any resulting drug make it to market.

Toronto-based QurCan has touted its TERP platform as being able to aid the “systemic, non-viral and repeat-dosable delivery of genetic medicines to targeted tissues and cells,” including through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Plenty of Big Pharmas are seeking paths to enter the BBB, with Novartis execs telling Fierce earlier this year that they are “always looking” for new ways to traverse this final frontier of neuroscience. Finding new ways to reach the CNS aligns with Lilly’s interest in neuroscience.

As well as the company’s approved Alzheimer’s disease med Kisunla, its clinical-stage portfolio includes the likes of mevidalen, a dopamine D1 receptor positive allosteric modulator being developed for various neurodegenerative disorders, and a GBA1 gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease. Lilly has also been on the lookout for ways to strengthen its genetic medicines offering for a while, most notably when the Big Pharma picked up its gene editing partner Verve Therapeutics for $1 billion upfront last year. In 2026, the drugmaker has teamed up with Profluent to develop AI-designed recombinases to address diseases with severe unmet needs, and is using Seamless Therapeutics’ recombinase platform to create treatments for hearing loss.

“This collaboration with Lilly represents a validation of our PLNP technology platform and its potential to address some of the most challenging delivery problems in genetic medicine,” QurCan CEO Mohammad Ali Amini, Ph.D. said in this morning’s release. “The CNS and PNS remain among the most underserved areas in genetic medicine delivery, and we believe our non-viral approach offers a differentiated and versatile solution across various nucleotide cargos,” the CEO added.

“We are thrilled to work with Lilly, a company with unparalleled expertise in neuroscience drug development and commercialization, to bring these therapies to patients who urgently need them.” Eli Lilly gene editing Licensing deals neuroscience central nervous system Deals Biotech