SanegeneBio secures RNAi collaboration in metabolic diseases with Eli Lilly worth up to $1.2B

On November 8, 2025, SanegeneBio, a company dedicated to innovative RNAi therapeutics, announced it has entered into a worldwide research collaboration and license agreement with Eli Lilly and Company. The partnership will leverage SanegeneBio's proprietary LEAD™ platform to jointly advance the development of RNAi candidate drugs for metabolic diseases.

The LEAD™ (Ligand and Enhancer Assisted Delivery) platform is a tissue-selective delivery technology independently developed by SanegeneBio. It enables efficient and specific delivery of RNAi therapeutics to extrahepatic tissues and cells. Based on this platform, the companies aim to develop breakthrough therapies for metabolic diseases requiring subcutaneous administration only twice per year.

SanegeneBio will be responsible for screening and identifying optimal RNAi active molecules for the collaborative projects using its LEAD™ platform, while Eli Lilly will oversee subsequent IND-enabling studies, clinical development, and commercialization.

Under the agreement terms, SanegeneBio will receive an upfront payment and an equity investment. Additionally, SanegeneBio is eligible to receive up to $1.2 billion in development, regulatory, and sales milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on commercial sales.

Dr. Weimin Wang, Founder and CEO of SanegeneBio, stated: "This collaboration strongly validates the outstanding performance of SanegeneBio's innovative and differentiated LEAD™ platform in achieving tissue-selective delivery for RNAi therapeutics. Eli Lilly is a global leader in metabolic diseases. We look forward to working closely together to unlock novel treatment strategies for metabolic diseases, accelerating the development of durable, disease-modifying breakthrough therapies for patients worldwide."