Sidley Advises SanegeneBio in Up to US$1.2 Billion Global Research and Licensing Collaboration With Eli Lilly and Company

Sidley represented SanegeneBio, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics, in a global research and licensing collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company. The partnership aims to advance novel RNAi candidates for the treatment of metabolic diseases using SanegeneBio’s proprietary LEAD™ (Ligand and Enhancer Assisted Delivery) technology.

Under the collaboration, SanegeneBio will lead the discovery and optimization of LEAD™-based RNAi molecules for each program, while Lilly will oversee IND-enabling studies, clinical development, and commercialization. SanegeneBio’s LEAD™ platform enables tissue-selective RNAi delivery with the potential to create breakthrough therapies that can be administered subcutaneously as infrequently as twice per year.

Under the terms of the agreement, SanegeneBio will receive an upfront payment and equity investment, along with near-term milestone payments, and will be eligible for up to US$1.2 billion in additional discovery, development, and commercialization milestones.

Sidley’s team was led by partners Asher Rubin (Technology and Life Sciences Transactions) and James Lu (Emerging Companies and Venture Capital) and included Jean Qiu and Cassidy Pomeroy-Carter (Technology and Life Sciences Transactions); Pan Chen (Emerging Companies and Venture Capital); and Rachel Kleinberg and Jonathan Westreich (Tax).