With a focus on strengthening its fibrotic diseases pipeline, Gilead has agreed to collaborate with Scholar Rock to gain exclusive developmental and commercialisation rights to its transforming growth factor beta programme candidates for the treatment of fibrotic diseases. The potential US$1.53 B deal gives Scholar Rock US$80 M upfront with the remainder being contingent on the achievement of specific developmental, regulatory and commercial milestones. The deal comes as Gilead faces concerns regarding its non-alcoholic steatohepatitis asset GS-9674, whose Phase II results paled in comparison to competitor drugs.