Novo Nordisk has signed a deal with AI-driven protein design company Gensaic to develop tissue-targeted therapies for cardiometabolic diseases.
The collaboration is valued up to $354m, but financial specifics remain undisclosed. The companies aim to advance precision drug delivery by leveraging Gensaic’s AI-guided ligand discovery platform. Novo and Gensaic did not say which specific cardiometabolic conditions they are targeting.
Tissue targeting is a key focus in drug development, as it allows therapies to be delivered directly to specific organs or cell types rather than affecting the entire body. This precision can enhance drug effectiveness while minimising side effects. However, targeting tissues beyond the liver remains a challenge, limiting the reach of many existing therapies, Gensaic said in the 3 March announcement.
Gensaic’s platform, dubbed FORGE, is designed to address this issue by identifying protein ligands that enable selective delivery of therapeutic molecules, potentially unlocking new treatment options for cardiometabolic diseases.
“Tissue targeting has so much potential – both in terms of the modalities that can be leveraged, but also for the diseases that can be addressed,” said Uli Stilz, head of Novo’s bio innovation hub.
The FORGE platform combines AI-driven protein design with laboratory-based protein evolution to discover new ligands – molecules that bind to specific targets in the body. By mapping and optimising protein interactions, the platform aims to identify ligands that can transport drugs into specific tissues. This approach could enable the targeted delivery of a range of therapeutic molecules, including small interfering RNA (siRNA), which is used to regulate gene expression in diseases.
Several biotech companies are exploring tissue-targeting approaches to improve drug delivery. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has developed GalNAc conjugates such as Amvuttra (vutrisiran), which enable targeted delivery of RNA-based drugs specifically to liver cells. Similarly, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals has advanced its targeted RNAi molecule (TRiM) platform to enhance the delivery of RNAi therapies to tissues beyond the liver, including the lungs and muscles.
Novo Nordisk is an established leader in the cardiometabolic space and has secured several deals in the past few years to maintain its dominant position in this market. In September 2024, the company signed a $600m deal with NanoVation to develop genetic medicines for rare and cardiometabolic diseases. As part of the agreement, Novo secured a licence to use NanoVation’s long-circulating lipid nanoparticle (lcLNP) technology for RNA delivery targeting cells outside the liver.
