China-based Suzhou Ribo Life Science and US-based Madrigal Pharmaceuticals have announced the successful nomination of the first drug candidate under their small interfering RNA (siRNA) partnership.
The milestone, achieved within months of launching the collaboration, paves the way for the immediate initiation of investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies to support planned clinical development.
The partnership, which also involves Suzhou Ribo’s subsidiary Ribocure Pharmaceuticals, focuses on developing RNA-based therapeutics for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The collaboration covers multiple preclinical assets aimed at expanding liver-targeted treatment options for the disease, which remains an area of significant unmet medical need.
Li-Ming Gan, co-CEO & Global R&D President of Ribo, noted that it is the first key milestone in their joint MASH program with Madrigal.
“Madrigal has established a market leading presence and profound clinical expertise in the MASH field, while Ribo possesses world-class capabilities in siRNA drug discovery and delivery technology. Our complementary strengths have driven the rapid progress of this project. Both parties are dedicated to accelerating the development of our novel siRNA candidate for MASH,” Gan said.
MASH is a progressive form of fatty liver disease in which excess fat in the liver causes inflammation and damage to liver cells. If left untreated, the condition can progress to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer, the need for liver transplantation, and premature death. It is also a leading cause of liver transplantation among women in the United States.
Suzhou Ribo Life Science specialises in the development of RNA interference (RNAi)-based nucleic acid therapeutics. Madrigal is a biopharmaceutical company focused on delivering novel therapeutics for MASH. Its treatment Rezdiffra received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2024 for adults with MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis.
The collaboration between the two companies was announced in February 2026 through a global licensing agreement covering six preclinical siRNA programmes targeting MASH.
Under the agreement, Madrigal obtained exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise the six siRNA candidates. Suzhou Ribo received an upfront payment of $60 million and is eligible to receive up to $4.4 billion in potential development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments across the programmes, in addition to tiered royalties on future net sales.
