Lilly signs liver disease and cancer deals with OliX and AdvanCell

Eli Lilly signed two partnerships on Monday, one with South Korea's OliX Pharmaceuticals for liver and cardiometabolic diseases and one with Australia's AdvanCell for cancer therapies ^[1]. Neither company disclosed the financial terms ^[1].

The OliX deal is built around OLX75016, an investigational gene silencer given as a small interfering RNA therapy. It is designed to suppress the MARC1 enzyme, which is involved in the buildup of lipids in fat cells ^[1]. OliX is developing it for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), liver fibrosis and other cardiometabolic conditions, including obesity ^[1]. OliX said it would receive an initial payment from Lilly to complete a Phase 1 trial of OLX75016 in Australia; milestone and royalty arrangements were kept under wraps ^[1]. OliX announced in February 2024 that it had started that Phase 1 trial in MASH ^[1].

The deal adds another experimental approach to Lilly's MASH work, where an already-marketed drug is further along. Zepbound (tirzepatide) is Lilly's weight-loss therapy, and the company is positioning it for expansion into MASH. In a Phase 2 readout reported in June 2024, more than half of patients taking a 5-mg dose achieved absence of MASH with no worsening of fibrosis at 52 weeks. Nearly 75% of patients on 15 mg achieved MASH resolution without worsening of fibrosis ^[1]. Lilly said at the time that it had "engaged with regulatory authorities" on next steps for Zepbound in this indication, but its full-year 2024 business review did not list a MASH submission among its potential key events for this year ^[1].

Lilly's top obesity competitor, Novo Nordisk, reported in November 2024 that Wegovy (semaglutide) could clear MASH without worsening of fibrosis in 32.8% of patients at 72 weeks. Novo is also seeking a MASH expansion for Wegovy, with a filing expected in the first half of this year ^[1].

The second Lilly deal, with AdvanCell, covers radiopharmaceutical cancer therapies. It uses AdvanCell's targeted alpha platform, which produces Pb-212-based therapies, combined with Lilly's drug candidates to "accelerate the clinical advancement of an expanded portfolio" of radiopharmaceuticals ^[1]. As with the OliX agreement, the companies did not reveal financial details, and they did not specify which cancers they will prioritize ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

MASH involves fat buildup in the liver and can involve fibrosis, or scarring, and it is often studied alongside obesity ^[1]. Two drugs already widely used for weight loss and diabetes — Zepbound and Wegovy — are now being tested against it, which is why dealmaking in this space may eventually shape what doctors can offer people with liver disease linked to excess weight.

Nothing is approved yet on this front. Lilly has not listed a MASH regulatory submission as a planned event for this year, and Novo's Wegovy filing is expected rather than filed ^[1]. The Phase 2 results were measured at specific doses over 52 and 72 weeks in trial volunteers; they do not establish that these drugs treat liver disease when used for weight loss or diabetes, and whether either drug prevents liver-related complications has not been reported ^[1].

OLX75016 is much earlier in development. It is in Phase 1, the first stage of human testing, which mainly looks at safety and dosing. How long that trial will run and when results might be available has not been disclosed ^[1]. The terms of both Lilly deals were also undisclosed, so how much Lilly is paying and how the partnerships are structured is not known ^[1].

What happens next

Novo Nordisk's filing to expand Wegovy into MASH is expected in the first half of 2025 ^[1]. Lilly has not listed a MASH submission for Zepbound among its potential key events for the year ^[1]. Timelines for completing the OLX75016 Phase 1 trial, or for advancing the AdvanCell radiopharmaceutical programs, have not been reported ^[1].