Eli Lilly said its high dose of VERV-102, a gene-editing therapy acquired through its $1 billion buyout of Verve Therapeutics, reduced cholesterol by 62% in participants in an early-phase clinical trial. Lilly framed the finding as an early signal that a one-time treatment could eventually help lower LDL cholesterol for long-term heart disease prevention. Lilly reported no treatment-related serious adverse events in the Phase 1 study, a key point given Verve previously paused its first candidate over safety concerns. The company’s communications emphasized the potential to address patient adherence challenges with existing cholesterol-lowering medicines. The readout adds to the growing set of gene-editing efforts targeting cardiometabolic risk, with attention likely to shift to durability of effect and longer-term safety as Lilly advances development.