Gilead Pays Phenex $100m Milestone As NASH Candidate Progresses

Jan 06 2017

• By Sukaina Virji

Listen to this article

With hepatitis C wrapped up, NASH is becoming the focus of liver disease R&D. Gilead, which has a number of NASH programs, has paid Phenex $100m for clinical progress with an in-licensed candidate for NASH and other liver diseases.

Phenex Pharmaceuticals AG has received a $100m milestone payment from Gilead Sciences Inc. for its GS-9674 drug candidate targeting nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). GS-9674 is a novel, synthetic, non-steroidal Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) agonist which was originally developed by Phenex and then sold to Gilead in December 2014. The deal covering Phenex's FXR program was valued at $470m. (Also see "Gilead buying another NASH program for up to $470m" - Scrip, 7 January, 2015.)

GS-9674 is now in Phase II trials in NASH, primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

More from Business

Test Roche Head Of Pharma Strategy Karsten Jung On Rebuilding The Portfolio
Jan 23 2026
• By Jessica Merrill
The Swiss pharma company is rebalancing the portfolio, emphasizing best-in-class drugs and moving into new areas like cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
Quick Listen: Scrip’s Five Must-Know Things
Dec 09 2025
• By Reed Miller
In this week's episode: Trump’s UK drug pricing win; Novo explains semaglutide Alzheimer's rationale; J&J and Novartis on this year’s biggest M&A deals; a look at the mixed performance of CAR-Ts; and Akeso’s goals beyond ivonescimab.
Article Without An Author Listed
Nov 19 2025
Here is a short description.
Spotlight On RDCs, AOCs As Leading Novel Bioconjugates[Updated]
Nov 12 2025
Pipelines in bioconjugates continue to develop, from ADCs to XDCs, with radionuclide drug conjugates (RDCs) and antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs) leading the expansion.

More from Scrip

sponsored
Sponsored by :
Clinical Trial Complexity Is Reshaping Evidence Collection Clinical trial innovation has historical
As clinical trials grow more complex, execution pressures are changing where and how evidence is collected.
EHA: Lilly’s Jaypirca Posts First Phase III Triplet Win In CLL While BTK Degraders Advance
Jul 15 2026
Lilly's first Phase III triplet win opens the door to a label expansion in BTK-pretreated CLL, with analysts suggesting Jaypica could attain blockbuster status. However, the window to capitalize may be brief as next-generation BTK degraders close in with head-to-head trials.
EHA: Lilly’s Jaypirca Posts First Phase III Triplet Win In CLL While BTK Degraders Advance - Clone
Jun 18 2026
Lilly's first Phase III triplet win opens the door to a label expansion in BTK-pretreated CLL, with analysts suggesting Jaypica could attain blockbuster status. However, the window to capitalize may be brief as next-generation BTK degraders close in with head-to-head trials.