Eli Lilly and RNAi therapeutics specialist OliX Pharmaceuticals have entered into a global licensing agreement to advance a phase 1 candidate for metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and other cardiometabolic indications.
MASH, also known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, occurs when too much fat builds up in the liver. The condition is associated with an increased risk of advanced liver disease, including liver cancer, and is expected to affect more than 19 million adults in the US by 2039.
The new alliance focuses on the development and commercialisation OliX’s OLX75016, which has already demonstrated efficacy in preclinical studies in addressing MASH, liver fibrosis and other cardiometabolic diseases.
Though financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, OliX said it will receive an initial payment from Lilly to complete the phase 1 clinical trial of the candidate.
OliX’s chief executive officer, Dong Ki Lee, said the collaboration “marks a significant step forward for OLX75016’s development and its potential to improve treatment outcomes for a range of metabolic conditions”.
“Partnering with an industry leader like Lilly enables us to advance innovative solutions that address medical needs with a strong focus on both efficacy and safety. Together, we aim to develop therapies that offer meaningful benefits for patients and drive progress in metabolic health,” he added.
Lilly’s once-weekly GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist tirzepatide, which holds approvals for weight management and type 2 diabetes, has already shown promise in patients with biopsy-proven MASH and stage 2 or 3 fibrosis.
The announcement comes just one month after Lilly said it would be expanding its oncology pipeline by acquiring Scorpion Therapeutics’ PI3Kα inhibitor programme in a deal worth up to $2.5bn.
STX-478 is currently being evaluated in a phase 1/2 trial as a monotherapy and as part of a combination treatment for breast cancer and other advanced solid tumours.
Lilly has also already partnered with Alchemab Therapeutics this year to develop new therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The collaboration agreement centres around Alchemab’s antibody discovery platform, which uses patient samples from those with unusually slow rates of disease progression to identify antibodies associated with resilience.