The Motley Fool·2025-06-17 15:05Acquisition Details - Eli Lilly has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Verve Therapeutics for $10.50 per share in cash, representing a premium of approximately 113% over the 30-day volume-weighted average trading price of Verve stock as of June 16, 2025 [1] - Verve shareholders will also receive one nontradable contingent value right (CVR) per share, which could entitle them to an additional $3 per share upon the first patient being dosed with VERVE-102 in a U.S. phase 3 clinical trial, potentially bringing the total purchase price to around $1.3 billion [2] Strategic Rationale - Verve Therapeutics is recognized as a leader in base editing, a precise gene editing technology, with its flagship product VERVE-102 currently in a phase 1b clinical study for treating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) [3] - Lilly's interest in Verve is driven by the potential of VERVE-102 to become the first in vivo gene editing therapy for a broad patient population, which could transform the treatment approach for cardiovascular disease from chronic management to a one-time treatment [4] Market Considerations - The contingent value right (CVR) associated with Lilly's acquisition could attract investors who are optimistic about the success of VERVE-102, despite the inherent risks of clinical-stage drug development [6] - While there are risks that VERVE-102 may not progress to phase 3 testing, the current acquisition scenario suggests that it may not be too late for investors to consider purchasing Verve stock [7]