Novo Nordisk has signed a $600m deal with NanoVation to develop genetic medicines for rare and cardiometabolic diseases.
Novo has secured a licence to use NanoVation’s long-circulating lipid nanoparticle (lcLNP) technology for RNA delivery targeting cells outside the liver. Both companies will collaborate on two programmes to develop base-editing therapies for rare genetic diseases, with plans for up to five future targets for cardiometabolic and rare diseases.
Under the agreement, Novo is paying an undisclosed upfront fee. The multi-year deal could be worth up to $600m, with NanoVation set to receive research funding eligible for potential milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on future product sales.
Novo has secured several deals in the past few years to maintain its dominant position in the cardiometabolic disease market. The Danish pharma company entered research collaborations with two US cell and gene therapy biotech startups in January, namely Omega Therapeutics and Cellarity.
In February 2024, Novo partnered with US-based biotech Neomorph in a collaboration and licensing agreement to discover and develop multiple molecular glue degraders for cardiometabolic disorders and rare diseases.
Novo has also shown its commitment to developing therapies for disorders with unmet needs such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The company’s collaboration with Cellarity involves the development of therapies for MASH, for which there are no treatments approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Novo’s Q1 2024 financial results highlighted that the company’s aspiration to expand the use of its blockbuster obesity products to cardiovascular indications has been successful. In March, its obesity drug Wegovy (semaglutide) was approved by the FDA for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in obese or overweight adults. Semaglutide is also marketed as Ozempic in type 2 diabetes.
Wegovy generated $4.5bn in sales for Novo in 2023, as per the company’s financials. According to GlobalData analyst consensus forecasts, the drug is set to make $19.4bn in 2030.
GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology.
In the announcement accompanying the deal, NanoVation’s co-founder Pieter Cullis said: “Genetic medicine is at a pivotal moment and this partnership marks a major milestone for NanoVation as an innovator in nucleic acid delivery. By combining NanoVation’s expertise in extrahepatic delivery with Novo Nordisk's expertise in cardiometabolic and rare diseases we have the potential to create truly transformative therapies.”
