BRIEF—Sumitomo Dainippon drops NASH candidate in Japan and South Korea

Japan’s Sumitomo Dainippon has handed back to Intercept Pharmaceuticals the rights to develop and commercialize DSP-1747 (obeticholic acid), also known as OCA, in Japan and South Korea.

Sumitomo has retained the rights to develop and commercialize OCA in China. The firm will make related milestone payments and will be liable to pay royalties based on sales.

Obeticholic acid is an agonist for farnesoid X receptor (FXR), which is in development as a therapy for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).