--- title: 'Life Sciences Daily Summary: What Happened on October 13, 2026' headline: Obuprazine meets Phase 2b goal as Roche strikes $1 billion RNAi obesity deal description: Pfizer and Enodia also agreed to a discovery collaboration worth potentially more than $500 million. Syndax’s lung fibrosis drug failed a trial. url: https://thebench.bio/news/summaries/2026-10-13 topic: all date: '2026-10-13' covers: - '2026-10-13' date_published: '2026-10-13T12:03:57Z' date_modified: '2026-10-13T12:03:57Z' tags: - Clinical - Industry sources: 4 publisher: TheBench.Bio --- # Life Sciences Daily Summary: What Happened on October 13, 2026 **Obuprazine meets Phase 2b goal as Roche strikes $1 billion RNAi obesity deal** Pfizer and Enodia also agreed to a discovery collaboration worth potentially more than $500 million. Syndax’s lung fibrosis drug failed a trial. ## Today in brief Obuprazine met its primary endpoint in a Phase 2b trial for acute schizophrenia, with all three dose groups showing statistically significant symptom-score reductions versus placebo after 42 days. [1] Roche struck a $1 billion agreement with Rona focused on RNA interference, or RNAi, for obesity. [2] Pfizer and Enodia will discover molecules that target proteins during production, in a deal that could exceed $500 million. [3] Syndax’s lung fibrosis drug failed a trial, sending the company’s shares lower. [4] ## Obuprazine reduced schizophrenia symptom scores more than placebo Obuprazine met the primary endpoint in a randomized, double-blind Phase 2b trial of 363 adults with acute schizophrenia at 24 centers in China. [1] At day 42, the lowest-dose group’s average score on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) fell 28.6 points, compared with 11.9 points on placebo. [1] The placebo-adjusted reductions were 16.7 points for the lowest dose, 13.2 for the middle dose and 14.7 for the highest dose. [1] All three dose groups also improved over placebo on positive and negative symptoms and a measure of cognitive symptoms. [1] Tortugas plans to file a US investigational new drug application and submit the full results to a peer-reviewed journal. [1] Hansoh conducted the trial, and Tortugas holds commercial development rights outside Greater China. [1] ## Pfizer and Enodia will seek drugs that block proteins during production Pfizer and Enodia Therapeutics will discover small molecules that target proteins as cells make them. [3] Enodia will lead discovery work on multiple undisclosed targets. Pfizer will handle later clinical development, manufacturing, regulatory work and commercialization. [3] The agreement includes an upfront payment and could exceed $500 million in total, including milestones and royalties. [3] Enodia is developing machine-learning-designed molecules that modulate Sec61, a cellular channel involved in moving newly made proteins. [3] ## Also worth knowing - Roche’s $1 billion agreement with Rona centers on RNA interference for obesity treatment. [2] - Syndax’s lung fibrosis drug failed a trial, and its shares fell. [4] ## The day in numbers - **363**: Adults enrolled in the obuprazine Phase 2b trial. [1] - **28.6 vs. 11.9 points**: PANSS score reduction in the lowest obuprazine dose group versus placebo at day 42. [1] - **$1 billion**: Value of Roche’s deal with Rona focused on RNAi-based obesity treatment. [2] - **More than $500 million**: Potential total value of Pfizer’s collaboration with Enodia, including milestones and royalties. [3] ## Sources 1. [Tortugas’ Phase IIb schizophrenia trial of obuprazine meets primary endpoint](), Clinical Trials Arena, 2026-10-13 2. [Roche bets on the RNAi approach for obesity through $1bn Rona deal  ](), Pharmaceutical Technology, 2026-10-13 3. [Enodia lands $500M Pfizer deal to target proteins at the point of synthesis](), European Biotechnology, 2026-10-13 4. [Syndax shares fall as lung fibrosis drug fails trial](), pharmaphorum, 2026-10-13 --- TheBench.Bio wrote this from the reporting cited above, with a language model drafting and editing. [1]: [2]: [3]: [4]: