In search of new therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Eli Lilly and Co. has agreed to pay Verge Genomics $25 million in up-front, equity and potential near-term payments, plus as much as $694 million in milestones, to discover and validate up to four new targets for treating the disease over the course of a three-year collaboration. Verge retained rights to its internal lead ALS program, poised to enter the clinic next year.