Terns to Stop Funding Metabolic Disease Trials Beyond 2025; Seeks Partners for Assets

Terns Pharmaceuticals will cease internal funding of metabolic disease clinical trials past the end of 2025, instead seeking partners for its metabolic asset portfolio including TERN-601, TERN-800, and TERN-501 51.

The strategic pivot shifts Terns’ primary focus to oncology, particularly to advancing TERN-701, a next-generation allosteric BCR-ABL inhibitor for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) 513.

The metabolic pipeline includes TERN-601 (oral GLP-1 receptor agonist in Phase II for obesity), TERN-800 (oral GIPR modulator in discovery), and TERN-501 (oral THR-β agonist), all now open for partnership discussions 15.

Terns’ CEO cited plans to bring TERN-701 through a pivotal trial and to the market independently, marking a shift away from significant investment in metabolic and obesity programs 5.

As of the latest financial report, Terns holds $315.4 million in cash (runway into 2028), and recently completed a $125 million public offering to support clinical trials 31.

Sources:

1. https://www.biospace.com/business/terns-seeks-partners-for-metabolic-assets-amid-oversaturated-obesity-market

3. https://www.stocktitan.net/news/TERN/terns-pharmaceuticals-reports-second-quarter-2025-financial-results-tes9hen7rm1q.html

5. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/terns-vows-stop-funding-metabolic-disease-trials-beyond-2025-seeks-partners-assets