Suzhou Ribo Life Science and its subsidiary Ribocure Pharmaceuticals have entered an exclusive global licensing agreement with Madrigal Pharmaceuticals to develop innovative siRNA therapies targeting metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The partnership focuses on advancing pre-clinical programs designed to address the growing burden of liver disease worldwide.
Strategic Collaboration to Advance siRNA MASH Therapies
The agreement includes six pre-clinical small interfering RNA (siRNA) programs. These programs will leverage Ribo’s validated GalSTARTM liver-targeting platform to create more precise and effective treatments. Additionally, both companies may expand the collaboration to include new programs, such as bi-specific siRNAs that can target two disease-causing genes simultaneously.
Because MASH is linked to serious health complications, the need for innovative therapies continues to rise. Therefore, this partnership aims to accelerate drug development while improving treatment outcomes for patients with unmet medical needs.
Combining Expertise for Innovative Liver Disease Treatments
Dr. Zicai Liang, CEO of Ribo, expressed enthusiasm about partnering with Madrigal. He highlighted that Madrigal’s expertise, combined with Ribo’s siRNA technology, could help deliver life-changing therapies for people affected by liver diseases.
Similarly, Dr. Li-Ming Gan, CEO of Ribocure and co-CEO of Ribo, noted that working with the company behind the world’s first approved MASH drug is highly encouraging. Moreover, the companies plan to use proprietary platforms to expand the therapeutic landscape through complementary and multi-mechanistic approaches.
Financial Terms and Commercial Potential
Under the licensing agreement, Madrigal gains exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize several siRNA assets worldwide. In return, Ribo will receive an upfront payment of $60 million. Furthermore, total milestone payments could reach up to $4.4 billion, along with potential royalties on future net sales.
Overall, the collaboration positions both companies to drive innovation in liver disease treatment while strengthening the future pipeline of siRNA MASH therapies.
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