Enodia Therapeutics announced on March 12 2026 that it had entered into an asset purchase agreement on March 6 2026 to acquire Kezar Life Sciences’ pre‑clinical Sec61 discovery and development portfolio, including intellectual property and ongoing research efforts. Kezar will retain its zetomipzomib program, employee contracts, cash, receivables, real property, and equipment.
The transaction is valued at up to $127 million, with Kezar receiving an initial $1 million upfront payment and future milestone payments tied to development and regulatory achievements. The back‑loaded payment structure shifts the financial risk of advancing the Sec61 program to Enodia while providing Kezar with potential upside if the acquired assets lead to a product launch.
Strategically, the deal allows Enodia to integrate Kezar’s extensive pre‑clinical datasets into its selective targeted protein degradation platform, accelerating its pipeline in inflammation, immunology, and oncology. For Kezar, the sale monetizes its Sec61 platform, reduces its cash burn, and preserves its core zetomipzomib program while retaining a stake in any future success of the acquired assets.
"By integrating Kezar's extensive preclinical datasets into our selective targeted protein degradation platform, this acquisition enhances our ability to make accelerated, yet informed development decisions across our candidate programs," said Yves Ribeill, CEO of Enodia. "Kezar has dedicated nearly ten years to research and drug discovery targeting the Sec61 translocon and remains confident in the potential of this novel target. The Enodia team is poised to make significant progress in this area, and we are excited to see our efforts continue and expand," added Chris Kirk, CEO of Kezar.
Enodia recently completed a $25 million seed funding round in January 2026, underscoring its commitment to expanding its protein‑degradation platform. Kezar’s financial health remains strong, with liquid assets exceeding short‑term obligations, although the company continues to burn cash. Kezar’s focus remains on its zetomipzomib program, a selective immunoproteasome inhibitor for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and it has scheduled a Type C FDA meeting in Q1 2026 to discuss the program’s development for autoimmune hepatitis. Enodia will not advance Kezar’s KZR‑261 candidate, a non‑selective Sec61 inhibitor, but will instead focus on other assets from the acquired portfolio.
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