Eli Lilly and Company has agreed to acquire Adverum Biotechnologies Inc., a clinical-stage company pioneering the use of intravitreal gene therapy with the aim of preserving sight for life in highly prevalent ocular diseases, including its lead product candidate, Ixo-vec.

Adverum is developing a pipeline of intravitreal single-administration gene therapies with the aspiration of developing functional cures to restore vision and prevent blindness. Its lead product candidate, Ixo-vec, is an intravitreal gene therapy being developed for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD). Ixo-vec is designed as a single one-time treatment to deliver continuous and stable intraocular aflibercept levels, thereby reducing the significant patient burden associated with current chronic anti-VEGF therapies, while also potentially leading to improved vision outcomes.

Ixo-vec is being evaluated in the ARTEMIS Phase 3 clinical trial, which has completed screening. The program has been granted Fast Track and Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as PRIME designation by the European Medicines Agency and the Innovation Passport from the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency for the treatment of wAMD.

“Ixo-vec has the potential to transform wAMD treatment from a paradigm of chronic care with repeated intravitreal injections to a convenient one-time therapy,” said Andrew Adams, Lilly Group Vice President, Molecule Discovery. “We are eager to welcome Adverum colleagues to Lilly and to help accelerate this innovative medicine to patients.”

“We are excited about the potential to join Lilly, with a proven track record in the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative medicines for chronic and age-related conditions,” said Laurent Fischer, M.D., President and CEO of Adverum Biotechnologies. “We share Lilly’s commitment to healthy aging and genetic medicines innovation. Their scientific depth and global reach offer the opportunity to accelerate our vision to deliver a transformative One and Done therapy that can potentially restore and preserve vision for millions of patients living with wAMD. My deepest appreciation goes out to the entire Adverum team for their expertise, creativity and commitment. We are also grateful to the investigators, patients and caregivers who have contributed to the success of Ixo-vec thus far.”

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to satisfaction of closing conditions.

Other Pharma Industry Acquisitions

Check out Contract Pharma’s Pharmaceutical Industry Mergers & Acquisitions Roundup.