Roche Buys 89bio for $3.5B to Bolster Liver and Metabolic Portfolio

In September 2025, Roche agreed to acquire 89bio in a deal worth up to $3.5 billion. The move strengthens the Swiss group’s position in liver and cardiometabolic diseases, areas that have become central to its long-term strategy.

89bio, founded in 2018 and based in San Francisco, has concentrated on therapies for liver and metabolic disorders. Its lead candidate, pegozafermin , is in late-stage trials for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and severe hypertriglyceridemia—conditions affecting millions worldwide, with few treatment options available.

By targeting inflammation, fibrosis, and lipid abnormalities in tandem, pegozafermin aims to address several aspects of metabolic disease with a single therapy. This approach has made 89bio one of the more closely watched developers in the field.

For Roche, the acquisition brings a promising late-stage asset into its pipeline and complements its existing focus on cardiometabolic health. The group has invested in obesity and liver disease research in recent years, leveraging its combined strengths in diagnostics and therapeutics to pursue a more integrated approach to treatment.

The transaction gives 89bio the scale and resources to accelerate development, while Roche gains a foothold in a therapeutic area that could reshape how chronic metabolic conditions are treated. For patients, it signals renewed momentum in advancing therapies for diseases that have long lacked effective solutions.

Sources:
Roche
89bio
Reuters
Bloomberg
Fierce Biotech

J.V.