The new partnership follows Roche’s recent R&D expansion in Boston focused on development for cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases.
Roche is doling out $70 million to pair up with Atavistik Bio in hopes of discovering new small molecule therapeutics against cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, with an additional $1.9 billion in biobucks up for grabs.
The Big Pharma is joining forces with the hematology-focused biotech to use its allosteric drug discovery platform, dubbed AMPS, according to a Thursday release. The tech is designed to find novel functional binding pockets to develop small molecule therapeutics against historically hard-to-modulate targets.
Under the new deal, Atavistik Bio will take the lead on discovery and research activities for several cardiovascular, renal and metabolic disease (CVRM) targets, with Roche responsible for further preclinical, clinical and commercialization efforts. The Massachusetts-based biotech may be eligible to receive up to $1.9 billion in milestone payments related to those efforts, plus tiered royalties.
“Treating CVRM diseases remains a core strategic priority for Roche,” Boris Zaïtra, head of corporate business development at the pharma, said in a prepared statement. “By pairing Atavistik Bio’s novel approach to discovering allosteric small molecules with our expertise in disease biology and drug development, we aim to translate complex science into transformative, oral small-molecule therapeutics for patients who need them most.”
Just last week, the pharma opened a new R&D center in Boston through its subsidiary Genentech focused exclusively on CVRM diseases. In 2023, Roche scooped up obesity biotech Carmot Therapeutics for $2.7 billion upfront and, in 2025, bought out MASH-focused 89bio for a potential deal value up to $3.5 billion.
Roche isn’t the first pharma partner to team up with Atavistik, with Pfizer inking a deal with the company at the beginning of 2025. That research pact encompassed two undisclosed targets for precision allosteric therapeutics. No potential programs stemming from the program are listed on Atavistik’s pipeline, though the new Roche ones are.
A request for comment from BioSpace on the status of the Pfizer partnership was unreturned as of publication.
Atavistik’s internal pipeline focuses on rare hematology diseases, with lead asset ATV-1601 receiving fast track designation in June for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). The blood disease causes abnormal connections between the arteries and veins, and can lead to anemia, stroke and bleeding in the digestive tract. ATV-1601 is an investigational oral allosteric AKT1-selective inhibitor currently being assessed in a Phase 1/2 trial.
The biotech was formed in 2021 and raised a $40 million series B extension earlier this year, bringing the series total to $160 million. The startup is backed by investors such as the Column Group, Regeneron Ventures and RA Capital Management.
