Lilly Builds On Gene Therapy Focus With Akouos Takeout

 
• By Joseph Haas
  
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With the planned $487m acquisition of sensorineural-focused Akouos, Lilly makes its second gene therapy M&A play in two years, on top of partnering/financing activity in the space.

Inner ear
Akouos focuses on monogenic inner-ear disease • Source: Shutterstock

After acquiring the neurodegenerative health-focused Prevail Therapeutics Inc. in late 2020 and further inking both a partnership and a financing commitment in the gene therapy space, Eli Lilly and Company has struck again with an agreement to acquire Akouos, Inc. for an estimated $487m. The deal announced on 18 October will bring Lilly a Phase I-ready program for hearing loss due to mutations in the otoferlin (OTOF) gene as well as three preclinical programs for inner ear hearing-loss conditions.

Based in Boston, Akouos went public via a $212.5m initial public offering in June 2020 and obtained US Food and...

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