companiesCompany

Orna Therapeutics (Eli Lilly)

Circular-RNA in vivo CAR company bought by Eli Lilly for about $2.4B in February 2026.

Orna's oRNA (engineered circular RNA) in lipid nanoparticles induces CAR expression in T cells inside the body without lymphodepletion. Lead ORN-252 (CD19) targets autoimmune disease; a BCMA in vivo CAR programme for myeloma is preclinical. Lilly announced the acquisition on 9 February 2026.

Headquarters

Watertown, MA, US

Type

cell therapy

Website

Connected

cancers

1

Multiple myeloma

fronts

1

technologies

2

In vivo CAR-T Self-amplifying and circular RNA therapeutics

targets

2

companies

1

Eli Lilly (incl. Loxo)

ideas

4

In vivo CAR-T as a vial on the shelf: a cost and access trial in lymphoma In vivo CAR-T manufactured and priced like a generic biologic Instruct tumour cells to make antibodies against their own oncoprotein mRNA-delivered MYC decoy proteins instead of MYC inhibitors

bottlenecks

1

Manufacturing cost and time for living and radioactive medicines