Roche’s Metabolic Drug Strategy Extends to the Liver Disease MASH With $2.4B 89bio Acquisition (MedCity News)

Roche is making a big bet on fatty liver disease, announcing a $2.4B acquisition of 89bio to secure rights to its late-stage drug pegozafermin, a long-acting FGF21 analog in two Phase 3 studies for MASH. The deal, which could rise to $3.5B with milestone payments, positions Roche as a leading player in one of the fastest-growing therapeutic areas linked to obesity. Pegozafermin’s dual anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory mechanism could set a new standard for treating moderate to severe MASH, potentially generating $4.7B in annual global sales by 2035.