A team of Fox Rothschild Intellectual Property attorneys helped firm client CSPC Pharmaceuticals Group Limited partner with Madrigal Pharmaceuticals to advance an oral preclinical GLP-1 therapy for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

Fox attorneys Joe Chen, Ph.D., Jonathan R. Lagarenne, Jin Zhu, Ph.D. and Gerard P. Norton, Ph.D. led the freedom-to-operate and patentability analysis, as well as the review and negotiation of the licensing agreement for the transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, Madrigal will pay an upfront fee of $120 million, with potential milestone payments bringing the total value to as much as $2 billion based on future development progress.

The deal focuses on SYH2086, an orally available GLP-1 compound. The asset is still in preclinical development. According to the companies, preclinical data reveals glucose-lowering and weight-loss benefits.

The companies expect clinical trials to start in the first half of 2026.

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