CNS oligonucleotide licensing deals continue to soar

24 June 2025

Licensing of innovator oligonucleotide drugs for central nervous system (CNS) indications surged 339% in 2024, jumping from $640 million to $2.81 billion, according to research from GlobalData.

The sharp rise reflects growing momentum around antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which have dominated deal flows over the past five years. The uptick underscores advances in synthesis methods—namely liquid-phase and biocatalytic systems—that have helped address production bottlenecks including purity and scalability.

Between 2021 and mid-2025, licensing deals for CNS-targeted oligonucleotides totaled $6.05 billion. ASOs accounted for the lion’s share at $3.54 billion, with siRNAs making up over a third ($2.51 billion). Leading multinationals such as AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY), Roche (ROG: SIX) and Takeda (TYO: 4502) captured about 63% of deal value.

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