Eli Lilly struck an agreement to obtain rights to an experimental ocular gene therapy from MeiraGTx, extending Lilly’s recent string of bets in genetic medicine. The deal gives Lilly rights to a candidate targeting an ultra‑rare childhood blindness and adds to its growing neuroscience and rare‑disease portfolio, company statements show. The transaction reflects Big Pharma’s continued interest in gene therapies for ophthalmology, where localized delivery and established regulatory pathways can shorten development timelines. MeiraGTx will receive upfront and milestone payments; Lilly will advance late preclinical and clinical development under the license terms.