Shanghai-based Rona Therapeutics granted Roche (SIX: RO, ROG) an exclusive worldwide license for an investigational RNA interference (RNAi) candidate targeting activin receptor-like kinase 7 (ALK7) for obesity and metabolic diseases, in a deal worth up to USD 1.16 billion. Rona will receive up to USD 100 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments, with eligibility for another USD 1.06 billion in development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, plus tiered royalties on global net sales. The candidate uses Rona's proprietary extrahepatic RNAi delivery technology.
ALK7, encoded by the ACVR1C gene, is predominantly expressed in adipocytes and regulates lipid storage and metabolism. Rona said silencing ALK7 could reduce visceral and ectopic fat while preserving lean mass, potentially complementing incretin-based therapies that primarily regulate appetite and energy intake. Roche is developing several other obesity treatments, including the GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist enicepatide and an amylin analog through its collaboration with Zealand Pharma.
The Roche agreement follows a similar May 2026 licensing deal in which GSK obtained rights outside Greater China to Suzhou-based SiranBio's Phase I ALK7-targeting siRNA candidate SA030 for USD 55 million upfront and up to USD 1.005 billion in milestones. Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ARWR) is also developing an ALK7-targeting RNAi therapy, ARO-ALK7, and reported interim Phase I/IIa results in January 2026 showing mean ALK7 mRNA knockdown of 88% and a 14.1% placebo-adjusted reduction in visceral fat at week eight following a single dose.
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