Eli Lilly teamed up with Hong Kong drugmaker METiS TechBio in an AI-focused research deal to design tissue-specific lipid nanoparticles. The collaboration centers on using AI to generate and refine lipid nanoparticle formulations intended to improve delivery targeting, with potential payments up to $1.1 billion depending on milestones. For gene-medicine supply chains and developers, the deal reinforces how delivery-layer differentiation—especially targeting—remains a key bottleneck for next-generation RNA and genetic therapies, even as the modality stack stabilizes.