Everest Medicines Licenses Novel Kidney Disease Drug MT1013

Everest Medicines has entered an exclusive licensing agreement with Shaanxi Micot Pharmaceutical Technology to commercialize the experimental therapy MT1013 across China and the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan. The deal expands Everest’s nephrology pipeline as the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) continues to rise globally.

Under the terms of the agreement, Everest will pay Micot an upfront fee of RMB 200 million and potential regulatory and commercial milestone payments of up to RMB 1.04 billion. Micot will continue funding development costs, while Everest will lead commercialization once regulatory approvals are obtained.

MT1013 is described as the world’s first dual-target receptor agonist polypeptide designed to simultaneously activate the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and the osteogenic growth peptide (OGP) receptor. The therapy is being primarily developed to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), a common and serious complication in patients with CKD undergoing dialysis. The condition disrupts calcium and phosphate metabolism, increases fracture risk and cardiovascular complications, and significantly affects survival.

The drug has already advanced into a Phase III clinical trial in China, with more than half of patient enrollment completed. Earlier Phase II results, presented at the 2025 American Society of Nephrology annual meeting, showed rapid and sustained suppression of parathyroid hormone levels along with improvements in calcium-phosphate balance and bone health markers. In comparative studies with the existing therapy etelcalcetide, MT1013 demonstrated improved control of multiple disease indicators, including phosphate levels and the cardiovascular risk marker FGF-23.

Researchers say the treatment’s dual mechanism represents a shift from therapies that indirectly slow bone breakdown toward directly stimulating bone formation and repair.

The collaboration also broadens Everest Medicines’ kidney disease portfolio beyond IgA nephropathy into a wider range of CKD complications. Company chairman Yifang Wu said the partnership addresses growing unmet needs as kidney disease prevalence climbs worldwide. Global CKD cases are estimated to increase from about 1.07 billion in 2024 to more than 1.5 billion by 2035, with SHPT cases projected to rise in parallel.

Micot chairman Bing Wang said Everest’s commercialization expertise and nephrology focus make it a strong partner to advance the therapy and reach patients more quickly.

The Phase III study, conducted across more than 100 sites in China, will enroll approximately 424 dialysis patients and use cinacalcet as the active comparator. If successful, the therapy could offer a new treatment option for millions of CKD patients facing complications linked to mineral and bone disorders.