# Verve Therapeutics

> Verve Therapeutics is a Boston genetic-medicine company, now wholly owned by Eli Lilly, developing one-time in vivo gene-editing treatments for cardiovascular risk. Its lead candidate, VERVE-102, uses an adenine base editor packaged in a GalNAc-equipped lipid nanoparticle to switch off PCSK9 in liver cells. Early Phase 1b data showed durable, dose-dependent LDL cholesterol reduction, but the platform remains investigational and must prove long-term safety and clinical benefit in larger trials.

- **Founded:** 2018
- **Headquarters:** Boston, United States
- **Founders:** Sekar Kathiresan, M.D. (Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer), Kiran Musunuru, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. (Co-founder and scientific founder), J. Keith Joung, M.D., Ph.D. (Co-founder and scientific founder), Burt Adelman, M.D. (Co-founder), Issi Rozen, M.B.A. (Co-founder), Barry Ticho, M.D., Ph.D. (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** Approximately 230 employees before the 2025 acquisition; LinkedIn currently lists the company in the 201-500 employee range.
- **Products:** VERVE-102, VERVE-201, VERVE-301, VERVE-101, GalNAc-LNP delivery platform
- **Notable:** Advanced the first in vivo base-editing treatment aimed at a common cardiovascular target into human testing., Reported human proof of concept with VERVE-101, including dose-dependent PCSK9 and LDL-C reductions., Designed and moved the backup VERVE-102 GalNAc-LNP delivery system into the clinic after VERVE-101 safety findings.

## Products & services

- **VERVE-102** — Investigational in vivo adenine base-editing medicine delivered by a GalNAc-LNP to inactivate PCSK9 in liver cells and durably lower LDL cholesterol; in the Heart-2 Phase 1b study.
- **VERVE-201** — Investigational in vivo base-editing medicine designed to inactivate ANGPTL3 in the liver for refractory hypercholesterolemia and homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia; entered the Pulse-1 Phase 1b study.
- **VERVE-301** — Preclinical gene-editing candidate designed to inactivate LPA in the liver and lower lipoprotein(a), developed through the Lilly collaboration.
- **VERVE-101** — First-generation PCSK9 base editor that established human proof of concept but whose Heart-1 enrollment was paused in April 2024 after transient liver-enzyme and platelet abnormalities; development was deprioritized in favor of VERVE-102.
- **GalNAc-LNP delivery platform** — A liver-targeted lipid nanoparticle system intended to access hepatocytes through both ASGPR and LDL receptors while carrying base-editor mRNA and guide RNA.

## Achievements

- Advanced the first in vivo base-editing treatment aimed at a common cardiovascular target into human testing.
- Reported human proof of concept with VERVE-101, including dose-dependent PCSK9 and LDL-C reductions.
- Designed and moved the backup VERVE-102 GalNAc-LNP delivery system into the clinic after VERVE-101 safety findings.
- Received FDA Fast Track designation for VERVE-102 in April 2025.
- Published 35-participant Phase 1 VERVE-102 results in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2026.
- Reported up to 88% PCSK9 reduction and 62% LDL-C reduction at the highest studied dose, with durability of at least one year in 15 participants.
- Built clinical programs across three genetically validated lipid targets: PCSK9, ANGPTL3 and LPA.
- Completed a 2021 IPO with $306.7 million in gross proceeds.
- Was acquired by Eli Lilly in July 2025 for approximately $1.0 billion upfront and up to $1.3 billion total potential consideration.

## Latest updates

- **2024-04** — Paused Heart-1 enrollment after one VERVE-101 participant developed transient Grade 3 ALT elevation and thrombocytopenia; prioritized VERVE-102 with a different LNP.
- **2024-05** — Dosed the first participant in the Heart-2 Phase 1b trial of VERVE-102.
- **2024-11** — Dosed the first participant in the Pulse-1 Phase 1b trial of ANGPTL3-targeting VERVE-201.
- **2025-04** — Reported initial VERVE-102 data in 14 participants, including mean LDL-C reduction of 53% and maximum reduction of 69% in the 0.6 mg/kg cohort, with no treatment-related serious adverse events reported at that cutoff.
- **2025-04** — Received FDA Fast Track designation for VERVE-102.
- **2025-07** — Eli Lilly completed its acquisition of Verve, making it a wholly owned subsidiary.
- **2026-05** — Phase 1 Heart-2 results in 35 participants were published in NEJM: at 1.0 mg/kg, mean PCSK9 fell 88% and mean LDL-C fell 62%; no dose-limiting toxic effects occurred, while mild-to-moderate infusion reactions and transient ALT elevations were observed.
- **2026-06** — The Heart-2 ClinicalTrials.gov record listed the international Phase 1 study as recruiting across 23 locations, including U.S. sites.

## Links

- Website: https://www.vervetx.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/verve-therapeutics-inc/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/VerveTx

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/verve-therapeutics
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Last updated: 2026-08-22