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

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 will buy Boston-based Verve Therapeutics, Inc. in a billion dollar deal with plans to advance Verve's new line of experimental cardiac health drugs.