In the latest deal in the crowded non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) field, AstraZeneca has licensed a preclinical antisense drug candidate from Ionis Pharmaceuticals for US$30 M upfront and up to US$300 M in development and regulatory milestone payments. IONIS-AZ6-2.5-LRx is a member of a new class of antisense drugs that incorporate both Ionis’sligand-conjugated antisense technology and Generation 2.5 chemistry. This is the third time that AstraZeneca has exercised an option to license a drug candidate under its broad 2015 alliance with Ionis in cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases.