Drugs and FDA
Roche licenses Rona's ALK7-targeting RNAi candidate for obesity
Roche gains global rights to Rona's unnamed ALK7-targeting RNAi candidate, with up to $100 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments.
Roche has licensed global rights to an unnamed RNA interference (RNAi) candidate from Rona Therapeutics that targets ALK7, a receptor expressed in fat tissue. The companies said the drug is intended for obesity and other metabolic diseases. Rona’s RNAi approach uses small interfering RNA to degrade messenger RNA, according to MedCity News.
MedCity News reported Roche will pay $100 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments, with Rona eligible for up to $1.06 billion more in milestone payments and royalties if the drug reaches the market. Reported deal values differ: BioPharma Dive called it a $1B pact in its headline, while Endpoints News called it a $1.2B pact. The candidate’s name was not disclosed. Research into ALK7-targeting obesity drugs remains early, BioPharma Dive reported.
