Eli Lilly agreed to acquire Verve Therapeutics for about $1 billion upfront, adding a potential treatment for cardiovascular disease to its portfolio.Under the agreement, the pharmaceutical company will buy all of the gene-editing startup’s shares outstanding for $10.

Eli Lilly has agreed to acquire cardiovascular disease treatment specialist Verve Therapeutics in a deal potentially rising to $1.3bn.

Eli Lilly has struck a deal to buy Crispr gene-editing start-up Verve Therapeutics for up to $1.3bn, the latest acquisition by the world’s most valuable drugmaker as it seeks to boost its pipeline of experimental medicines.