Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) has announced the acquisition of global development and commercialization rights to a portfolio of UNC13A-targeting compounds from QurAlis, a biopharmaceutical company based in the U.S. The portfolio includes the antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) QRL-204, which is considered a potential best-in-class candidate for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). As part of the deal, Eli Lilly will pay QurAlis USD 45 million upfront, make an equity investment, provide up to USD 577 million in milestone payments, and offer potential sales royalties.
QurAlis will continue to apply its proprietary discovery platform to identify a number of additional candidates targeting UNC13A, a crucial regulator of neurotransmitter release. Mis-spliced pre-mRNAs of this regulator can contribute to pathological conditions.- Flcube.com
