Novo Nordisk signs 2.1 billion dollar obesity drug deal
Novo Nordisk will use Vivtex technology to develop oral versions of biologic drugs. The deal includes milestone payments totaling up to 2.1 billion dollars.
Denmark[Country:{ "assets":{ "country":"DK" } }]-based Novo Nordisk A/S[Symbol:{ "assets":{ "symbol":"NOV.DE" } }] has entered into a strategic partnership with United States[Country:{ "assets":{ "country":"US" } }]-based Vivtex Corp, the companies announced on Wednesday. The agreement, which could be worth as much as $2.1 billion, aims to develop next-generation oral medications for obesity and diabetes by leveraging Vivtex's proprietary drug-delivery technology.
Under the collaboration, the privately held Vivtex will license its oral delivery platform, while Novo Nordisk will manage global development and commercialization. The deal includes an upfront payment of an undisclosed amount, along with potential milestone payments and royalties on future sales. The partnership aims to transform biologic drugs, which are typically injected, into oral pills by enhancing their absorption in the gut. Vivtex’s platform utilizes gut-screening tests, delivery technologies, and artificial intelligence to make these biologic drugs effective in pill form.
Novo Nordisk currently markets several GLP-1 drugs for obesity and type 2 diabetes, including Wegovy, Ozempic, and the oral diabetes treatment Rybelsus. In January, the company launched the Wegovy pill in the U.S., marking the world's first oral medication specifically for obesity.
