Boehringer Ingelheim and Yuhan Corporation has announced a collaboration and license agreement for the development of a first-in-class dual agonist for the treatment of NASH and related liver diseases that combines GLP-1 and FGF21 activity in one molecule. The collaboration brings together Yuhan Corporation’s expertise in FGF21 biology, obesity and NASH with Boehringer Ingelheim’s pharmaceutical expertise and commitment to bringing innovative medicines to patients with cardiometabolic diseases.

 

NASH often starts with the accumulation of fat in the liver, giving rise to inflammation and finally leading in many patients to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. It has an especially high prevalence among obese and diabetic patients and is an area of high-unmet medical need with no treatments currently available. Boehringer Ingelheim believes that in many cases approaches targeting one of the features of NASH will not be able to achieve the desired resolution of NASH in patients with advanced stages of the disease. Thus Boehringer Ingelheim has built a comprehensive program to develop next generation therapy approaches targeting all three key drivers of the disease - steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis.

 

Preclinical evidence suggests high efficacy, when combining the gut-derived hormone GLP-1 with FGF21. The dual agonist (GLP1R/FGF21R agonist) is expected to reduce liver cell injury and hepatic inflammation by resolution of steatohepatitis as well as having direct antifibrotic effects and complements Boehringer Ingelheim’s R&D portfolio in NASH adding another potential first-in-class opportunity.

The collaboration brings together Yuhan Corporation’s expertise in FGF21 biology, obesity and NASH with Boehringer Ingelheim’s pharmaceutical expertise.