Roche Acquires 89bio, Inc. to Advance Liver Disease Therapies

Roche has acquired 89bio, Inc. (ETNB) for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition brings 89bio, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on liver and cardio-metabolic diseases, under Roche’s ownership. 89bio is known for its lead product candidate, BIO89-100, an engineered glycoPEGylated analog of FGF21, which is being developed for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG).

This strategic move is expected to bolster Roche’s pipeline and expand its presence in metabolic and liver disease therapeutic areas. 89bio’s BIO89-100 has demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile alongside robust reductions in liver fat and key lipid markers in Phase 1b/2a data for NASH. The asset is currently in a Phase 2 trial for the treatment of SHTG. Roche, a global healthcare company with extensive research, development, and commercialization capabilities, gains promising clinical-stage assets with this acquisition.

The integration of 89bio into Roche is anticipated to create synergies by accelerating the development of BIO89-100 through Roche’s global resources and expertise. This will allow for more efficient advancement of potential new treatments for patients with significant unmet medical needs in NASH and SHTG. The combined entity aims to leverage shared scientific knowledge and operational infrastructure to bring innovative therapies to market more effectively, strengthening Roche’s overall therapeutic portfolio.