Eli Lilly to Acquire Orna for $2.4 Billion to Expand CAR-T Pipeline
Eli Lilly will acquire Orna Therapeutics for up to $2.4 billion, comprising upfront and milestone payments to gain its circular RNA-based in vivo immune cell engineering platform. Orna’s lead candidate, ORN-252, is a CD19-targeted in vivo CAR-T therapy for B cell-driven autoimmune diseases.
1. Acquisition Details
Under the agreement, Eli Lilly will pay up to $2.4 billion for Orna Therapeutics, including an upfront payment and additional milestone-based payments tied to clinical development progress.
2. Orna’s Technology
Orna specializes in in vivo engineering of immune cells using a proprietary circular RNA platform, with its lead program, ORN-252, poised to deliver CD19-targeted CAR-T therapy for B cell-driven autoimmune diseases.
3. Strategic Impact
The acquisition enhances Lilly’s genetic medicine capabilities and expands its cell therapy pipeline, positioning the company to compete more effectively in the autoimmune treatment market and potentially yield durable therapeutic protein expression beyond existing RNA therapies.