Madrigal Pharmaceuticals has announced that it has made a global licensing deal with Suzhou Ribo Life Science and its subsidiary Ribocure Pharmaceuticals. The deal is for six preclinical small interfering RNA (siRNA) programs. siRNA is a special technology that helps silence genes by reducing the production of harmful proteins that drive diseases like MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis).
In addition to its ongoing Phase 3 study of Rezdiffra for MASH cirrhosis, Madrigal is working on several other treatments, including:
- MGL-2086: An oral drug aimed at treating MASH, entering first-in-human studies in 2026.
- Ervogastat: A Phase 2 oral drug targeting a specific enzyme, with plans to study how it interacts with Rezdiffra this year.
- Six siRNA programs: These offer a more targeted treatment for MASH by working directly on genes related to the disease.
siRNA technology works by directly targeting and silencing harmful genes in the liver. This approach could help improve Rezdiffra’s treatment effects by attacking the disease at a genetic level. Ribo has granted Madrigal the exclusive rights to develop, make, and sell these six siRNA treatments. Ribo will receive $60 million upfront, and if certain goals are met, it could earn up to $4.4 billion in additional payments, along with royalties on future sales.
According to Coherent Market Insights, the Biopharmaceutical and Biomedicine Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.1% from 2025 to 2032. Currently, the market is at USD 640.26 Bn in 2025 and is expected to be around USD 1,425.17 Bn by 2032. Advancements in biomedical research have fueled the development of innovative therapeutic drugs and diagnostics. Significant investments by industry players and government organizations in R&D of novel biologics, cell, and gene therapies for the treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes are also supporting market growth.
“We believe meeting future patient needs in MASH will require combination approaches and treatments tailored to genetic drivers of disease. Madrigal is uniquely positioned to shape the future treatment landscape in this rapidly expanding market,” said Bill Sibold, Chief Executive Officer of Madrigal. “At the start of 2025, Madrigal was a single-product company launching the first medication for MASH. Today, we have the foundational therapy in Rezdiffra, a fully enrolled F4c outcomes study, and an industry-leading MASH pipeline with more than 10 programs targeting different drivers of the disease.”
“Our R&D strategy is focused on developing innovative compounds targeting validated mechanisms of disease, so we can deliver better outcomes for more patients with MASH,” said David Soergel, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Madrigal. “siRNAs are highly liver targeted, and there are several genes implicated in MASH that could be addressed with an mRNA-knockdown approach. The precision of siRNA gene silencing, combined with Rezdiffra, has the potential to create the next generation of MASH treatment: genetically targeted therapies for patients with unmet needs.”
Source:
Press Release: Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
Company: Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
