OSE Immunotherapeutics has kicked off a strategic realignment initiative that involves deprioritizing the AbbVie-partnered OSE-230 and focusing its resources on the late-stage development of its ulcerative colitis candidate lusvertikimab.
Boehringer Ingelheim is abandoning its metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis program with OSE Immunotherapeutics after a mid-stage study fell short of its primary endpoint.
Specifically, results from an exploratory Phase 2 study “did not demonstrate efficacy to support further development in this indication,” OSE said in a Monday release. The French biotech did not reveal specific data from this trial.
OSE and Boehringer first partnered up in April 2018. The German pharma at the time paid €15 million ($17.5 million) upfront and promised an additional €15 million ($17.5 million) in near-term commitments and up to €1.1 billion ($1.28 billion) in development, commercialization and sales milestones. In May 2024, the companies deepened their engagement. The MASH candidate, called BI 770371, was part of this expanded agreement.
It is unclear if the alliance will remain, but on its website, OSE lists BI 770371 as its only Boehringer Ingelheim–partnered asset.
The discontinuation of the MASH program does not affect BI 770371’s development in cancer, for which the molecule has a distinct mechanism of action, OSE said. There are “multiple” early-stage oncology studies running, which are “progressing as planned.”
Boehringer’s pullback on Monday seems to have triggered a strategic restructuring initiative. OSE is suspending the development of its investigational antibody OSE-230, which it was proposing for chronic and severe inflammation, in order to funnel more of its resources into “late-stage, high-potential assets,” the company said.
In particular, OSE will concentrate on advancing the CD127 blocker lusvertikimab, which recently wrapped up Phase 2 development for moderate to active ulcerative colitis. According to a strategic roadmap released Monday, OSE is currently working on a subcutaneous formulation of lusvertikimab, which it expects to be ready by the first half of 2027. A Phase 2b/3 trial in ulcerative colitis could start later that same year.
OSE will also develop lusvertikimab for chronic pouchitis and hidradenitis suppurativa, with initial Phase 2 data expected in 2028.
OSE-230, the deprioritized asset, is partnered with AbbVie and has also been a source of headache for the biotech.
AbbVie and OSE first partnered in February 2025, with the pharma paying $48 million upfront for the exclusive right to advance and commercialize the asset. In December 2025, however, AbbVie amended the agreement and asked OSE to assume responsibility over preclinical and Phase 1 development.
While AbbVie still retains the right to take charge of future clinical studies, OSE will now have to shoulder ABBV-230’s early-stage development.
