Eli Lilly entered a $1.2 billion collaboration with Suzhou Sanegene Bio to advance tissue‑selective RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for metabolic diseases, aiming to accelerate development of RNAi candidates for obesity. The deal includes upfront and milestone payments plus tiered royalties, and leverages Sanegene’s selective delivery platform. Lilly presented the partnership as a strategic complement to its broader obesity portfolio, adding an RNAi delivery modality aimed at durable, tissue‑targeted knockdown. Sanegene will advance discovery and preclinical programs under the agreement, with Lilly responsible for later‑stage development and commercialization. The pact underscores big‑pharma interest in RNAi beyond hepatic targets and reflects a broader industry shift toward diversified genetic‑medicine modalities to address metabolic disease.