Eli Lilly agreed to acquire Verve Therapeutics for up to $1.3 billion, marking a strategic move to expand its cardiovascular gene editing portfolio. Verve's lead program, VERVE-102, targets PCSK9 with a potential one-time treatment for cardiovascular disease, showing promising Phase Ib data with significant LDL cholesterol reductions. Despite previous setbacks including adverse events in earlier trials, Lilly's commitment is bolstered by positive interim results and a recent Fast Track designation. This acquisition reflects Lilly's broader strategy of investing heavily in genetic medicines to shift chronic cardiovascular care to single-dose therapies.