Inventiva Slashes Workforce by Half, Doubles Down on MASH Drug Development

French biotech company Inventiva has announced a significant restructuring, including a 50% reduction in its workforce, as it focuses all efforts on its lead drug candidate for metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The move comes as the company seeks to extend its cash runway and prioritize the development of lanifibranor, a pan-PPAR agonist currently in phase 3 trials.

Restructuring and Financial Strategy

Inventiva entered 2025 with 96.6 million euros ($99.6 million) in cash, which was projected to last only until the third quarter of the year. To address this financial constraint, the company has implemented a series of strategic measures:

• Halving its workforce, with layoffs affecting employees not directly involved in lanifibranor development
• Discontinuing all preclinical work unrelated to lanifibranor, including oncology and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis programs
• Securing additional funding through structured financing and an expected $10 million milestone payment from Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group

These actions are expected to extend Inventiva's cash runway into the third quarter of 2026, aligning with the anticipated release of top-line results from the phase 3 NATiV3 trial of lanifibranor in MASH.

Focus on Lanifibranor and MASH Treatment

Inventiva's decision to concentrate solely on lanifibranor underscores the potential significance of this drug in the treatment of MASH, a condition for which there are currently no approved therapies. The company is expanding its team dedicated to preparing for potential approval filings and commercialization of lanifibranor.

The ongoing phase 3 NATiV3 trial experienced a temporary setback in 2024 when enrollment was paused due to elevated liver enzyme levels in one participant. However, recruitment has since resumed, with results expected in the second half of 2026.