Eli Lilly Inks $1B AI-Driven Oligonucleotide Deal with Creyon Bio

Eli Lilly has entered into a significant partnership with Creyon Bio, marking a major step forward in the development of AI-designed oligonucleotide therapies. The collaboration, announced on April 29, 2025, involves a $13 million upfront payment from Lilly, with the potential for up to $1 billion in biobucks based on development and sales milestones.

AI-Powered Drug Discovery Takes Center Stage

Creyon Bio, founded in 2022 with a $40 million Series A funding round, has positioned itself at the forefront of AI-driven drug discovery. The company's proprietary "AI-Powered Oligo Engineering Engine" employs machine learning models to identify oligonucleotide-based medicines more efficiently than traditional trial-and-error screening methods.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly will gain exclusive licenses to lead candidates for each of its chosen targets across a broad range of diseases. While specific disease targets and the number of candidates remain undisclosed, the partnership underscores the pharmaceutical industry's growing interest in AI-powered drug discovery platforms.

Strategic Move in Oligonucleotide Therapeutics

This deal represents Lilly's latest foray into the oligonucleotide space, following recent agreements with other biotechnology firms. Oligonucleotides, which function as short strands of synthetic DNA or RNA, have the potential to reduce, restore, or modulate RNA through various mechanisms.

Serge Messerlian, recently appointed as Creyon's official CEO, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, "We are pleased to partner with Lilly to advance our AI-designed oligos with the goal of making therapies safer and more effective for patients."

Expanding Horizons in RNA-Based Medicine

While partnering with Lilly, Creyon Bio continues to advance its internal pipeline. The company is preparing to enter clinical trials next year with its lead neuromuscular disease candidate, showcasing the potential of its AI-driven approach beyond the scope of the Lilly agreement.

As the pharmaceutical industry increasingly embraces artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, collaborations like the Lilly-Creyon partnership are likely to become more common. These alliances have the potential to accelerate drug discovery and development processes, potentially leading to more efficient and targeted therapies for a wide range of diseases.