GSK struck a deal to license EMP‑012, an Empirico‑discovered small‑interfering RNA (siRNA) in Phase 1 for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), paying $85 million upfront with potential development and commercial milestones up to ~$745 million. GSK said the candidate targets inflammatory pathways relevant to non‑type‑2 COPD and could be used alone or in combination with existing therapies. GSK positioned the acquisition as a strategic push to diversify respiratory modalities beyond biologics and small molecules, citing the candidate’s potential long‑acting characteristics and a mechanism agnostic to smoking status or eosinophilic inflammation. Empirico keeps certain development responsibilities while GSK gains global rights. The deal highlights large pharma appetite for oligonucleotide platforms aimed at difficult‑to‑treat respiratory subgroups and validates Empirico’s discovery engine.