89bio

Treatment for Liver and Metabolic Disorders

Health Tech & Life Sciences
Acquired by Roche on Sep, 2025

Company Overview

Snapshot

Founded in January 2018, 89bio operates with 51–200 employees and has raised a total of $1.15 billion across 8 funding rounds from 4 investors. The company was acquired by Roche in September 2025.

Business overview

89bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative therapies for liver and cardio-metabolic diseases. Its core product, pegozafermin (BIO89-100), is an investigational glycopegylated FGF21 analog being evaluated for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG). The company targets the Health Tech & Life Sciences sector, focusing on the potential of FGF21 to regulate energy expenditure and metabolism for these conditions.

Strategic signal

In September 2025, 89bio was acquired by Roche for up to $3.5 billion, a significant validation of its pipeline and a major development in the biopharmaceutical landscape. This acquisition highlights the increasing strategic interest in therapies for liver and cardio-metabolic diseases, particularly those targeting MASH, and positions 89bio's lead product, pegozafermin, within a larger pharmaceutical framework for accelerated development and commercialization.

Company Intelligence Q&A

What was the most significant corporate event for 89bio recently?
In September 2025, 89bio announced an agreement to be acquired by Roche for up to $3.5 billion, integrating its late-stage MASH drug into Roche's pipeline.
When did 89bio go public?
89bio completed its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in November 2019, raising $85 million on the NASDAQ stock exchange.
Has 89bio received any breakthrough therapy designations?
In September 2023, the U.S. FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for 89bio's pegozafermin in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH).
What was 89bio's last public offering amount?
In January 2025, 89bio announced the pricing of a $250 million public offering of common stock and pre-funded warrants.
Which investors participated in 89bio's initial private equity funding round?
In October 2018, 89bio secured private equity funding from investors including OrbiMed and RA Capital Management.