Subcutaneous formulation technology, microbiomes and oncological assets drove dealmaking in South Korea’s biotech sector this week. 

Subcutaneous (SC) formulation technology, microbiomes and oncological assets drove dealmaking in South Korea’s biotech sector this week. 

Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH is stopping development of OSE Immunotherapeutics SA’s BI-770371 in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), after the SIRPα antagonist failed to show efficacy in a phase II study. Codevelopment of BI-770371 will continue for oncology indications, however, which was the initial target of the duo’s €1.4 billion (US$1.6 million) partnership in 2018.

The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a nuclear receptor predominantly expressed in the liver, intestine and kidney. FXR is crucially involved in regulating bile acid homeostasis, controlling inflammatory responses in the liver, and regulating lipid and glucose metabolism. Therefore, FXR plays a role in regulating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and has been proposed as a promising target for MASH drug development.

Madrigal Pharmaceuticals Inc. has signed an exclusive global license agreement with Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co. Ltd. and its subsidiary Ribocure Pharmaceuticals AB for six preclinical small interfering RNA (siRNA) programs.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) involves hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis driven in part by hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. Dual inhibition of ACLY and ACSS2 restricts complementary hepatic sources of acetyl-CoA, a key driver of lipogenesis and MASH pathology.

As the march toward a new therapy continues in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), new approaches are drawing Wall Street’s attention. Among them is Inventiva SA’s pan-PPAR approach.

The year 2025 proved especially active with regard to deals that centered on the indication previously known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).