Novo Nordisk has entered into a partnership with Vivtex gain access to the company’s proprietary technology to identify next-generation oral formulations for obesity and diabetes medications.
The collaboration is intended to develop peptide and protein therapeutics with better bioavailability through expansion of Vivtex’s metabolic disease platform. Vivtex will license its oral drug-delivery technologies to Novo Nordisk, receiving up to $2.1 billion upfront as well as royalties on products. Novo Nordisk will be responsible for development, regulation, manufacturing, and commercialization.
The aim of the deal is to create oral drug candidates of medications that are typically available only as injectables due to difficulty with absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Both companies have something to bring to the table: Novo Nordisk has expertise in peptide and protein therapeutics, whereas Vivtex’s platform uses screening assays, drug-delivery technologies, and computational simulations to determine optimal delivery.