Madrigal Pharmaceuticals Expands MASH Pipeline Targeting Liver Disease with siRNA Global Licensing Agreement Worth up to $4.4 Billion

Ropes & Gray advised Madrigal Pharmaceuticals in an exclusive global license agreement with Suzhou Ribo Life Sciences Co. and its subsidiary Ribocure Pharmaceuticals AB for six preclinical small interfering RNA (siRNA) programs to treat MASH liver disease in a deal worth up to $4.4 billion. The transaction was announced on February 11.

Under the agreement, Ribocure granted Madrigal an exclusive global license to develop, manufacture and commercialize six siRNA compounds. Ribocure will receive an upfront payment of $60 million and cumulative payments across the six siRNA programs worth up to $4.4 billion if certain milestones are achieved, as well as royalties on net sales.

RNA interference therapies offer the possibility of silencing genes implicated in producing the proteins that prompt the serious liver disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Madrigal plans to test its FDA-approved drug Rezdiffra in combination with the siRNA therapies to enhance treatment for MASH disease.

The Ropes & Gray team was led by life sciences licensing partner Hannah England.