Rona Therapeutics licenses obesity drug candidate to Roche
Rona Therapeutics has entered into a global exclusive license agreement with Roche for an investigational RNAi therapeutic candidate targeting ALK7 for obesity and metabolic diseases.
Santa Barbara, Calif. – Rona Therapeutics announced on October 13, 2026, that it has granted Roche an exclusive worldwide license for its investigational RNAi therapeutic candidate targeting activin receptor-like kinase 7 (ALK7). The therapy utilizes Rona Therapeutics' proprietary extrahepatic delivery platform.
ALK7 is predominantly expressed in adipose tissue and is a genetically validated target for obesity and metabolic diseases. Inhibiting ALK7 by directly targeting adipocytes has the potential to selectively reduce visceral and other ectopic fat depots while preserving lean mass, offering a differentiated approach that may complement incretin-based therapies.
Under the terms of the agreement, Rona will receive upfront and near-term milestone payments totaling up to $100 million. The company is also eligible to receive up to $1.06 billion in potential development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on global net sales. "This collaboration combines Rona's pioneering extrahepatic RNAi R&D platform with Roche's strong expertise and commitment in global development and commercialization of medicines for the treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases to bring this important therapeutic candidate to patients," said Stella Shi, CEO and Founder of Rona Therapeutics.
Rona Therapeutics, founded in 2021, is a biotechnology company focused on developing RNAi therapeutics. Roche stated that the agreement reinforces its commitment to delivering next-generation metabolic therapies.