STAT+: Novo Nordisk strikes deal with Septerna to develop obesity pills
Novo Nordisk is partnering with the biotech Septerna to develop oral obesity drugs, as it aims for more convenient weight loss treatments.
Novo Nordisk said on Wednesday that it will work with the biotech Septerna to develop oral GLP-1 obesity drugs, as it races to catch up to competitor Eli Lilly’s efforts to bring a more convenient weight loss treatment to the market.
Under the deal, Septerna, which specializes in making small molecule drugs, is eligible to receive about $2.2 billion from Novo, including more than $200 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments. Septerna, which is based in the San Francisco area, could also receive royalties on global sales of approved products.
The companies said they’ll start with four development programs for potential small molecule treatments directed at targets within a class of receptor called G protein-coupled receptors. They include commonly targeted receptors like GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon hormone receptors.
