The companies said the step triggers immediate new drug studies to support planned clinical trials as they advance multiple preclinical liver-focused programs for MASH.
Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co., Ltd. and subsidiary Ribocure Pharmaceuticals AB, working with Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc., said they achieved the first key candidate-designation milestone in their siRNA (small interfering RNA) partnership. The companies said the milestone, announced on July 2, 2026, will be followed immediately by new drug studies intended to support planned clinical trials. The collaboration is focused on developing innovative RNA-based therapies for liver disease, with particular emphasis on MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis), where the companies said unmet medical need remains high. They said the partnership spans multiple preclinical projects and broadens the range of liver-targeted therapeutic options being explored for MASH. Li-Ming Gan, co-CEO and global president of research and development at Ribo, said the jointly run MASH program reached its first major step within only a few months. He said Madrigal brings leading market positioning and deep clinical expertise in MASH, while Ribo contributes global-level siRNA drug discovery and delivery technology capabilities, helping the project advance quickly. He added that both parties aim to accelerate development of the new siRNA candidate and move the collaborative program forward to provide promising treatment options for patients with MASH worldwide. Ribo described itself as a clinical-stage innovative R&D company focused on nucleic acid medicines and related products based on RNAi (RNA interference, a gene-silencing mechanism) technology. It said Ribocure Pharmaceuticals AB, its subsidiary, is dedicated to the global development of oligonucleotide-based therapies, including asset and pipeline development, new target ideas, clinical trial capabilities, and pRNAi drug development.