Business
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals Reacquires Licensing Rights to IMCIVREE® (setmelanotide) in China with Termination of Agreement with RareStone Ltd.
BOSTON, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RYTM), a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on
About this update from Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"BOSTON, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RYTM), a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming the lives of patients living with rare neuroendocrine diseases, today announced that it reacquired the rights to IMCIVREE® (setmelanotide) in China, including mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, as the Company agreed to terminate its 2021 licensing agreement with RareStone Group Ltd. “Rhythm continues to execute on our strategy of developing setmelanotide and the next generation of MC4R agonists with the goal of making these treatments available to patients from around the world who may benefit,” David Meeker, MD, Chairman, CEO and President of Rhythm, said. “Our global trial of setmelanotide in patients with acquired hypothalamic obesity – which is on track for topline data readout in the second quarter of 2025 – is being conducted in North America, Europe and Japan, and this reacquisition of rights for China, Hong Kong and Macau means Rhythm now owns the global franchise. I want to thank the current management of RareStone for their efforts in reaching a mutually acceptable agreement.” Under the agreement, Rhythm has agreed to repay $6.3 million in cash to RareStone. Rhythm also agreed to return all shares of RareStone that were acquired under the original agreement for no additional consideration. About Rhythm PharmaceuticalsRhythm is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to transforming the lives of patients and their families living with rare neuroendocrine diseases. Rhythm’s lead asset, IMCIVREE® (setmelanotide), an MC4R agonist designed to treat hyperphagia and severe obesity, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adult and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older with syndromic or monogenic obesity due to Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) or genetically confirmed pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), including proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 1 (PCSK1), deficiency or leptin receptor (LEPR) deficiency. Both the European Commission (EC) and the UK’s Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have authorized setmelanotide for the treatment of obesity and the control of hunger associated with genetically confirmed BBS or genetically confirmed...