METiS TechBio’s AiLNP platform uses machine learning models to develop lipid nanoparticles with potentially better tissue specificity that could enhance a drug’s therapeutic performance.
Eli Lilly is tapping Hong Kong–listed METiS TechBio to develop lipid nanoparticle-based drug delivery technology that could allow tissue-specific targeting of certain therapeutic modalities.
Lilly has pledged an upfront commitment “in the low double-digit millions of U.S. dollars,” METiS disclosed in a Monday release. The biotech is also eligible for up to $1.1 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestones, plus single-digit tiered royalties on net sales of products that arise from the alliance.
The Indianapolis pharma will leverage METiS’ AiLNP platform, which uses AI to discover and optimize ionizable lipids that can be used to produce lipid nanoparticles (LNP) for delivering drugs. The partners didn’t specify which of Lilly’s drugs they plan to package into these lipid spheres or what diseases they want to work on.
BioSpace has reached out to the companies for more details regarding the deal.
LNPs have become a popular method of delivering treatments, especially nucleic acid–based therapies, because they can protect these molecules from destruction and degradation. Several FDA-approved medicines use LNPs, including Alnylam’s RNAi transthyretin amyloidosis therapy Onpattro and Pfizer and BioNTech’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty.
Through the METiS deal, Lilly is looking to develop novel LNPs “that may enable improved tissue specificity, enhanced therapeutic performance, and broader applicability across multiple disease areas,” according to the Monday announcement.
METiS launched in December 2017 with $86 million in series A capital. Aside from Lilly, the biotech has signed deals with other drugmakers, including China’s Hengrui Pharma in August and Deerfield Management’s Boulevard Bio in June.
The METiS agreement continues what has been a prolific year of dealmaking for Lilly, including up to $870 million pledged earlier this month to expand a partnership with Gate Bioscience to advance therapies against difficult-to-target proteins for conditions with high unmet need.
Other recent Lilly deals include an up to $3.25 billion contract with China’s InnoCare Pharma, covering five targets for undisclosed indications, and the up to $2.88 billion acquisition of Merida Biosciences for a pipeline of autoimmune and allergic disease therapies.
