Roche Reshapes R&D Portfolio with Strategic Cuts and Discontinued Programs

Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, has announced significant changes to its research and development pipeline, including the discontinuation of several high-profile drug candidates. These moves reflect a broader strategy to streamline operations and focus on the most promising therapeutic areas.

Obesity Program Setback

In a surprising turn of events, Roche has decided to terminate development of CT-173, a long-acting PYY analog that was part of its $2.7 billion acquisition of Carmot Therapeutics. The drug was initially touted for its potential to drive weight loss beyond the plateau typically seen with GLP-1 agonists. Dr. Manu Chakravarthy, global head of cardiovascular, renal and metabolism product development at Roche, had previously described preclinical data for CT-173 as "very exciting," particularly when combined with the company's GLP-1/GIP asset CT-388.

The decision to axe CT-173 comes just months after Roche highlighted its potential at an investor event. The company had planned to initiate a phase 1 trial this year, but the program has been discontinued before entering clinical stages.

Oncology Pipeline Restructuring

Roche's R&D realignment extends beyond metabolic diseases, with the company also culling several early-stage oncology programs:

1. Eciskafusp alfa: A fusion protein combining an anti-PD-1 antibody with an engineered form of IL-2. Despite initiating a phase 1 trial in 2020, Roche has stopped enrollment and recently withdrew a phase 1 bladder cancer study.

2. RG6614: A USP1 inhibitor acquired from KSQ Therapeutics in 2023. The program showed promise in DNA damage response pathways but yielded rare responses in phase 1 trials.

3. WRN inhibitor: This DNA repair enzyme inhibitor has been returned to Bayer's Vividion Therapeutics, with an ongoing phase 1 trial continuing under new management.

Additional Program Discontinuations

Roche has also halted development of RG7921, an eye disease candidate initially targeted at neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The company had more recently repositioned the asset for retinal vein occlusion, but details on the program remain limited.

These strategic decisions underscore Roche's commitment to optimizing its R&D investments and refocusing on areas with the highest potential for success in an increasingly competitive pharmaceutical landscape.