CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — January 9, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDGL) has entered into an exclusive global license agreement with Pfizer for ervogastat, a clinical-stage oral DGAT-2 inhibitor. The agreement aims to strengthen Madrigal’s position in developing next-generation therapies and combination regimens for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
The company announced the agreement January 9, 2026. Madrigal will present more details at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Monday, January 12, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. PST. The presentation will be webcast live and can be accessed here or by visiting Madrigal’s Investor Relations site, Events and Presentations page.
DGAT-2 inhibitors function by obstructing the final stage of triglyceride assembly and storage, which reduces hepatic triglycerides, lipotoxic fat, and liver inflammation. Madrigal believes it is well-positioned to advance ervogastat, a Phase 2 asset, through a development program focused on combination therapy with Rezdiffra.
According to Professor Quentin Anstee, the combination of ervogastat and Rezdiffra could produce additive antisteatotic and antifibrotic efficacy because they act on distinct yet complementary pathways that drive liver fat accumulation. A majority of patients in the Phase 2 study of ervogastat achieved a 50% reduction in liver fat as measured by MRI-PDFF. This is an important measure of efficacy that has been predictive of longer-term fibrosis improvement for other mechanisms, including Rezdiffra.
Madrigal’s Chief Medical Officer, David Soergel, M.D., said that MASH is a complex disease requiring multiple treatment approaches. Madrigal’s portfolio now spans several key pathways that will define the future of MASH treatment. Along with studies of our oral GLP-1 receptor agonist, we look forward to adding ervogastat to our growing clinical program.
Ervogastat (PF-06865571) is a liver-directed, oral diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT-2) inhibitor. Madrigal plans to conduct a drug-to-drug interaction study with Rezdiffra in 2026 and consult with the FDA on the design of a Phase 2 combination trial.
Under the agreement, Pfizer received an upfront payment of $50 million USD and is eligible for additional payments upon achieving certain milestones, as well as royalties on net sales. Madrigal also gains rights to two additional early-stage MASH pipeline assets.
Madrigal’s medication, Rezdiffra (resmetirom), is a once-daily, oral, liver-directed THR-β agonist designed to target key underlying causes of MASH. Rezdiffra is the first and only medication approved by both the FDA and European Commission for the treatment of MASH with moderate to advanced fibrosis (F2 to F3). An ongoing Phase 3 outcomes trial is evaluating Rezdiffra for the treatment of compensated MASH cirrhosis (F4c).
MASH, formerly known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is a serious liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer, the need for liver transplantation, and premature mortality. It is the leading cause of liver transplantation in women and the second leading cause of all liver transplants in the U.S. and the fastest-growing indication for liver transplantation in Europe.
Investor Contact:
Tina Ventura, IR@madrigalpharma.com
Media Contact:
Christopher Frates, media@madrigalpharma.com
Source: Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
