Company Description
MetaVia Inc. (Nasdaq: MTVA) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company in the healthcare sector that focuses on transforming cardiometabolic diseases. According to the company’s public disclosures, MetaVia is advancing a pipeline of investigational pharmaceuticals targeting obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), with programs designed to act on gut hormone and liver-related pathways that are central to metabolic health.
The company describes itself as a clinical-stage biotechnology company, meaning its product candidates are undergoing human clinical trials rather than being commercially marketed. MetaVia’s work centers on two main drug candidates: DA-1726, developed for the treatment of obesity and MASH, and vanoglipel (also referred to as DA-1241), developed for the treatment of MASH and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Both programs are positioned within the broader field of cardiometabolic disease, which includes conditions involving metabolic dysfunction, liver disease, and glucose regulation.
Core Pipeline and Therapeutic Focus
MetaVia states that it is currently developing DA-1726 for the treatment of obesity and developing vanoglipel (DA-1241) for the treatment of MASH. These programs are intended to address metabolic dysfunction by targeting specific receptors and hormones involved in appetite, energy expenditure, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and liver inflammation.
DA-1726 is described by the company as a novel oxyntomodulin (OXM) analogue that functions as a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) and glucagon receptor (GCGR) dual agonist. OXM is a naturally occurring gut hormone that activates both GLP1R and GCGR. MetaVia reports that this dual agonism is designed to decrease food intake while increasing energy expenditure, which the company indicates may result in superior body weight loss compared to selective GLP1R agonists. DA-1726 is intended to be administered once weekly by subcutaneous injection.
In a Phase 1 multiple ascending dose (MAD) clinical trial in obesity, MetaVia reports that the 32 mg dose of DA-1726 demonstrated what it characterizes as “best-in-class potential” for weight loss, glucose control, and waist circumference reduction. The company has also disclosed additional Phase 1 data, including pharmacokinetic (PK) findings that show linear, dose-proportional exposure and a mean half-life of approximately 80 hours, which supports the feasibility of once-weekly dosing. Across dose levels evaluated in that trial, MetaVia reports favorable safety and tolerability, with no serious adverse events or treatment discontinuations and gastrointestinal events described as mild and transient.
MetaVia has further extended its DA-1726 program to explore higher and longer dosing. The company conducted an 8-week, 48 mg non-titrated MAD cohort in obese but otherwise healthy adults. According to MetaVia’s press releases, this cohort showed early and deepening reductions in body weight and waist circumference, as well as improvements in fasted glucose and liver stiffness as measured by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE). The company highlights statistically significant weight loss percentages, waist circumference reductions, and a reduction in liver stiffness over the 8-week period, along with a favorable safety and tolerability profile without treatment-related discontinuations in that cohort.
Pre-clinical data disclosed by MetaVia indicate that DA-1726 promoted weight reduction in diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse models by suppressing appetite and increasing energy expenditure. The company reports that DA-1726 achieved improved weight loss compared to semaglutide (Wegovy), and that in pre-clinical mouse models it elicited similar weight reduction while consuming more food compared to tirzepatide (Zepbound) and survodutide, while preserving lean body mass and demonstrating improved lipid-lowering effects compared to survodutide. MetaVia also reports that DA-1726 achieved comparable weight loss to pemvidutide with superior lipid-lowering efficacy in pre-clinical comparisons.
Vanoglipel (DA-1241) is described as a novel, potent and selective G-protein-coupled receptor 119 (GPR119) agonist with development optionality as a standalone and/or combination therapy for both MASH and type 2 diabetes. According to MetaVia, agonism of GPR119 in the gut promotes the release of key gut peptides GLP-1, GIP, and PYY, which play roles in glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and weight loss. The company reports that vanoglipel has shown beneficial effects on glucose, lipid profile, and liver inflammation in pre-clinical studies, including reductions in hepatic steatosis, hepatic inflammation, and liver fibrosis, along with improved glucose control in multiple pre-clinical animal models of MASH and T2D.
MetaVia has conducted Phase 1a, 1b, and 2a clinical trials of vanoglipel. The company states that vanoglipel was well tolerated in both healthy volunteers and individuals with type 2 diabetes across these studies. In a Phase 2a clinical trial in presumed MASH patients, MetaVia reports that vanoglipel demonstrated direct hepatic action in addition to its glucose-lowering effects. The company highlights rapid and sustained improvements in glycemic control, with reductions in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) observed from the fourth week of treatment, and clinically meaningful HbA1c reductions at weeks 4, 8, and 16 from a specified baseline, including among participants with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.
In the same Phase 2a study, MetaVia reports that vanoglipel significantly decreased plasma alanine transaminase (ALT) levels in subjects with elevated baseline ALT, improved liver steatosis as measured by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), and reduced liver stiffness as measured by VCTE. The company also notes improvements in non-invasive assessment scores such as FAST and NIS-4, as well as reductions in circulating biomarkers associated with cell death (CK18F/M30), inflammation (hs-CRP, CCL2), and fibrosis (TIMP1). Vanoglipel 100 mg is reported to have reduced pathogenic lipids in plasma lipidomic profiles, including specific glycerolipids and glycerophospholipids, which MetaVia associates with favorable remodeling of lipid metabolism.
Clinical Development Stage and Regulatory Context
All of MetaVia’s disclosed product candidates are in the clinical-stage of development. DA-1726 is being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical trials in obese but otherwise healthy adults, with multiple ascending dose cohorts, including extended dosing at 48 mg for 8 weeks. Vanoglipel has progressed through Phase 2a in presumed MASH patients, including evaluation as monotherapy and in combination with a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4i) to augment endogenous GLP-1 action.
MetaVia has also communicated, through its public statements, that it is preparing for an end-of-Phase 2 meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding vanoglipel’s further clinical development. While the company discusses anticipated timelines for regulatory interactions and clinical milestones in its forward-looking statements, those projections are subject to risks and uncertainties as described in its SEC filings.
Stock Listing and Capital Market Status
MetaVia’s common stock trades on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol MTVA. The company has reported interactions with Nasdaq regarding the minimum bid price requirement for continued listing. In an 8-K filing, MetaVia disclosed that it received a notice from Nasdaq in May 2025 indicating non-compliance with the minimum bid price requirement, and that it subsequently requested and was granted a 180-day extension to regain compliance, extending the deadline to May 26, 2026.
To address the minimum bid price requirement, MetaVia’s stockholders approved an amendment to the company’s certificate of incorporation authorizing a reverse stock split within a specified ratio range, subject to the discretion of the board of directors. The company later announced a 1-for-11 reverse stock split of its common stock, effective in early December 2025, after which the common stock continued to trade on Nasdaq under the symbol MTVA on a split-adjusted basis. MetaVia subsequently announced that it had regained compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum bid price requirement, and that Nasdaq had closed the listing matter.
Research Collaborations and Scientific Visibility
MetaVia has reported participation in scientific and medical conferences related to obesity, liver disease, and metabolic disorders. The company has presented data on DA-1726 at ObesityWeek and on vanoglipel at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) The Liver Meeting. These presentations have included Phase 1 and Phase 2a clinical data, as well as pre-clinical findings on pharmacokinetics, safety, efficacy, and biomarker changes.
In addition, MetaVia has announced a research collaboration with Syntekabio, Inc., which it describes as an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company. The stated purpose of this collaboration is to identify additional disease targets beyond MASH and to optimize the therapeutic profile of vanoglipel. Details of the collaboration’s specific outputs are not provided in the available summaries, but the relationship is positioned as part of MetaVia’s broader effort to expand and refine its cardiometabolic pipeline.
Business Model Orientation
Based on its public disclosures, MetaVia’s business model is centered on research and development of pharmaceutical candidates for cardiometabolic indications. The company reports research and development (R&D) expenses associated with investigational drug manufacturing, non-clinical and pre-clinical costs, and clinical trial activities for DA-1726 and vanoglipel. It also reports general and administrative expenses related to corporate operations. Revenue-generating commercial products are not described in the provided materials, which is consistent with MetaVia’s classification as a clinical-stage biotechnology company.
MetaVia’s SEC filings and press releases emphasize the risks inherent in clinical development, including uncertainties around regulatory approval, clinical trial outcomes, and financing. The company’s forward-looking statements highlight that its ability to advance DA-1726 and vanoglipel depends on factors such as clinical trial execution, regulatory feedback, manufacturing and development partnerships, and capital market conditions.
Geographic and Corporate Information
MetaVia Inc. is incorporated in Delaware and lists its principal offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as disclosed in its SEC filings. The company files reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under Commission File Number 001-37809 and reports an Internal Revenue Service Employer Identification Number (EIN) of 47-2389984 in those filings.
Key Therapeutic Concepts
MetaVia’s programs highlight several therapeutic concepts that are central to its approach:
- GLP1R/GCGR dual agonism (DA-1726): Targeting both GLP-1 and glucagon receptors via an oxyntomodulin analogue to influence appetite, energy expenditure, body weight, and liver parameters.
- GPR119 agonism (vanoglipel/DA-1241): Stimulating GPR119 in the gut to enhance secretion of GLP-1, GIP, and PYY, with effects on glucose control, lipid metabolism, liver inflammation, and fibrosis.
- Non-invasive liver assessment: Use of tools such as VCTE, CAP, FAST, and NIS-4 in clinical studies to evaluate changes in liver stiffness, steatosis, and composite risk scores in MASH.
- Biomarker-driven evaluation: Measurement of biomarkers associated with cell death, inflammation, fibrosis, and lipidomic profiles to characterize the hepatic and metabolic effects of vanoglipel.
These elements, as described by MetaVia, frame the company’s effort to address obesity and MASH through mechanisms that act on both metabolic and hepatic pathways.
Position Within Biotechnology and Healthcare
Within the biotechnology industry, MetaVia fits into the biotechnology – cardiometabolic and liver disease niche. Its disclosed activities focus on obesity, MASH, and type 2 diabetes, all of which are significant areas of unmet medical need. The company’s emphasis on dual-acting agents and gut hormone modulation aligns with broader scientific interest in incretin-based and liver-targeted therapies, but the specific mechanisms, data, and claims described here are drawn directly from MetaVia’s own public communications.