Dual agonist compound shows early promise for NASH

Boehringer Ingelheim and Yuhan Corporation announced a collaboration and license agreement to development a combination of GLP-1 and FGF21 activity into one molecule for treating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and related liver diseases, according to a press release.

“We are excited about this new opportunity which adds to our longstanding and successful partnership with Yuhan Corporation,” Michel Pairet, PhD, member of Boehringer Ingelheim’s board of managing directors with responsibility for the Innovation Unit, said in the release. “This partnership brings us closer to next generation treatments for patients with NASH.”

The dual GLP-1/FGF21R agonist previously showed high efficacy in reduction of liver cell injury and hepatic inflammation by resolution of steatohepatitis during preclinical trials and had direct antifibrotic effects.

“Boehringer Ingelheim’s clinical expertise will now be applied to the development of this drug which has the potential to make a real difference for patients with NASH,” Jung Hee Lee, president and CEO of Yuhan Corporation said. “This molecule, which is a fusion protein utilizing the long-acting (HyFc) technology of Genexine, has been developed in-house by Yuhan Corporation. Not only is our collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim on this molecule Yuhan’s first external partnership with biologics, it is also the very first out-licensing of biologics targeting NASH from Korea.”

Reference: www.boehringer-ingelheim.com