Foghorn Therapeutics Ends FHD-909 Collaboration with Lilly, Shifts…

Event summary

Foghorn Therapeutics and Lilly will not advance FHD-909 or the Selective SMARCA2 degrader program.
Foghorn will focus resources on its wholly owned pipeline, including EP300 and CBP degrader programs.
The company is reducing its workforce by approximately 40% to extend cash runway into the second half of 2029.
FHD-909 showed a favorable safety profile but lacked the required efficacy to advance.

The big picture

Foghorn's decision to terminate the FHD-909 collaboration and refocus on its proprietary pipeline reflects a broader trend in biotech where companies are prioritizing internal innovation over partnerships when clinical results fall short. The move to cut costs and extend cash runway is a strategic response to the high-risk, high-reward nature of drug development, particularly in the competitive chromatin regulatory system space.

What we're watching

Pipeline Execution: How Foghorn's proprietary programs will progress without Lilly's collaboration.
Financial Sustainability: Whether the 40% workforce reduction will sufficiently extend the cash runway.
Market Positioning: The pace at which Foghorn can establish itself as a leader in chromatin regulatory system therapies.