Eli Lilly and Company has entered into a strategic collaboration worth up to USD 1.12 billion with private gene-editing company Seamless Therapeutics to develop next-generation therapies for hearing loss. The agreement strengthens Lilly’s push into genetic medicines and expands its pipeline beyond its core diabetes and obesity treatments.

Under the terms of the global research and licensing deal, Seamless Therapeutics will use its proprietary programmable recombinase technology to design precision gene-editing tools aimed at correcting disease-causing genetic mutations. Lilly will receive exclusive rights to advance the engineered enzymes from preclinical research through clinical development and commercialisation.

The deal includes an upfront payment, research and development funding, and performance-based milestone payments that could collectively reach up to USD 1.12 billion. Seamless will continue to lead early research activities, while Lilly will take responsibility for later-stage development, regulatory approvals and global commercialisation.

Programmable recombinase technology represents a newer approach to gene editing, allowing targeted insertion, deletion or replacement of DNA segments without relying on a cell’s natural DNA repair mechanisms. This increased precision could enable the development of therapies for genetic conditions that have limited or no effective treatment options, including inherited forms of hearing loss.

For Seamless Therapeutics, the collaboration provides validation of its platform and access to Lilly’s global development and commercial expertise. The company plans to accelerate its research programmes and advance its lead candidates into preclinical studies.

For Lilly, the partnership aligns with its broader strategy to build a strong presence in genetic medicine. The company has been actively investing in gene-based technologies to diversify its pipeline and address areas of high unmet medical need. Industry observers view the agreement as part of a wider trend of large pharmaceutical companies partnering with innovative biotech firms to access cutting-edge gene-editing platforms.