Eli Lilly and Company has announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Verve Therapeutics, Inc. Verve is a Boston-based clinical-stage company developing genetic medicines for cardiovascular disease.

Last month, the two companies announced a definitive agreement for Lilly to acquire Verve.

Commenting on the development, Ruth Gimeno, Lilly Group Vice President, Diabetes and Metabolic Research and Development, said, “This acquisition unlocks the opportunity to potentially transform the treatment paradigm for millions of patients worldwide by delivering lifelong cardiovascular risk reduction with a one-and-done treatment. Lilly will work to develop innovative genetic medicines for cardiometabolic disease.”

Verve is developing a pipeline of gene editing medicines designed to address the drivers of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) through treatments that may only need to be given once in a lifetime. Verve's lead program (VERVE-102) is a potential first-in-class in vivo gene editing medicine targeting PCSK9, a gene linked to cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health.

The treatment may be applicable for people who have heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), a subset of ASCVD that affects 1 in 250 people in the general population, as well as certain patients with premature coronary artery disease (CAD). VERVE-102 is being evaluated in a Phase 1b clinical trial study and has been granted Fast Track designation by the US Food and Drug Administration.