Eli Lilly partners with Ascidian Therapeutics on $1.9 b RNA exon-editing collaboration for kidney disease

Eli Lilly and Boston-based Ascidian Therapeutics announced a research collaboration aimed at discovering medicines for genetically driven kidney diseases. The partnership leverages Ascidian’s RNA exon-editing platform, which swaps out faulty RNA segments to restore production of functional proteins.

Under the agreement Lilly may provide up to $1.9 b, including an undisclosed upfront payment and milestone-based payouts tied to research, development and commercial progress, plus tiered royalties on any approved drugs.

The exon-editing approach is positioned as a safer alternative to permanent DNA editing and allows the use of non-viral delivery methods, potentially expanding treatment options beyond the limits of traditional gene-therapy vectors.