Roche has agreed to acquire full ownership of an experimental RNAi obesity drug from China-based Rona Therapeutics. The deal includes a $100 million upfront payment and potential milestone payments of just over $1 billion, plus sales royalties. The drug targets ALK7, a receptor involved in fat metabolism, with the goal of lowering levels of visceral fat.
This is Roche's fifth pact with a Chinese drugmaker since late August and its tenth since the beginning of 2025, the most among its pharmaceutical peers. The Rona drug joins five other experimental obesity medicines in Roche's pipeline, including incretin therapies from its Carmot Therapeutics acquisition and a licensing deal with Zealand Pharma.
ALK7 is gaining traction in obesity research. Human studies suggest that reduced ALK7 activity is associated with favorable fat distribution and metabolic health. GSK licensed a similar agent from China's SiranBio earlier this year, while Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals have brought prospects into Phase 1 testing, and Wave Life Sciences is developing a different RNAi medicine targeting the same pathway. Rona, founded in 2022, has raised about $68 million and licensed RNA technology from Sanofi.