Austrian biotech company Cyprumed GmbH has entered into a significant non-exclusive license and option agreement with pharmaceutical giant MSD (known as Merck & Co. in the US) to develop oral formulations of peptide therapeutics using Cyprumed's innovative drug delivery technology.
The collaboration, announced on April 15, 2025, could be worth up to $493 million in combined upfront payments and development, regulatory, and sales milestones for Cyprumed. The deal represents a major validation for the Innsbruck-based company's oral peptide delivery platform.
Deal Structure and Financial Terms
Under the agreement, MSD gains non-exclusive global rights to Cyprumed's oral peptide delivery platform for an undisclosed number of targets. The pharmaceutical company also secured options to exclusively license Cyprumed's technology for individual targets, which would trigger additional payments beyond the initial $493 million package.
MSD will assume full responsibility for research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of any products utilizing Cyprumed's delivery technology. This structure allows MSD to leverage its substantial resources and expertise while Cyprumed provides its specialized delivery platform.
"This collaboration with MSD, a company dedicated to peptide therapeutics, marks a significant step for Cyprumed," said Florian Föger, Ph.D., CEO of Cyprumed. "Our drug delivery technology, with its proven effectiveness and scalability, has the potential to unlock new opportunities in peptide therapeutics."
Technology Platform and Potential Applications
Cyprumed specializes in developing technology platforms for the oral administration of therapeutic peptides, including GLP-1 analogues, macrocycles, and mini-proteins. The company's proprietary delivery platforms feature innovative tablet formulations that offer superior oral bioavailability while using already approved pharmaceutical excipients.
This approach provides several advantages, including improved scalability, cost-efficiency, and streamlined regulatory compliance. For patients, the technology could transform injectable treatments into more convenient oral options.
Allen C. Templeton, vice president of pharmaceutical sciences at MSD Research Laboratories, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration: "We look forward to collaborating with the Cyprumed team to leverage their technology to help advance our macrocyclic peptide development efforts."
MSD's Peptide Development Pipeline
The partnership could significantly impact MSD's peptide therapeutics pipeline, which currently includes two notable candidates:
Enlicitide decanoate (MK-0616) is a Phase 3 investigational inhibitor of Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), being developed in partnership with UCB Pharmaceuticals under the CORALreef program. The compound targets cholesterol management.
Efinopegdutide (MK-6024), an investigational dual GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist in development under an agreement with Hanmi Pharmaceutical, is being studied for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
The Cyprumed technology could potentially enhance the delivery and effectiveness of these compounds or enable the development of new peptide therapeutics in MSD's pipeline.
Industry Context and Significance
The agreement comes at a time of growing interest in peptide therapeutics, particularly with the success of GLP-1 receptor agonists for diabetes and weight management. However, most peptide drugs require injection, creating barriers to patient acceptance and adherence.
Oral delivery of peptides has been a longstanding challenge in pharmaceutical development due to degradation in the gastrointestinal tract and poor absorption. Cyprumed's technology appears to address these challenges with its innovative formulation approach.
The deal also reflects the pharmaceutical industry's continued interest in external innovation through partnerships with specialized technology companies rather than solely relying on internal research and development.
About Cyprumed
Founded in Innsbruck, Austria, Cyprumed focuses exclusively on drug delivery technology for peptide therapeutics. The company aims to transform peptide therapeutics by providing easy-to-manufacture, patient-friendly oral dosage forms.
The collaboration with MSD represents a significant milestone for the Austrian biotech and validates its technological approach in the competitive field of drug delivery innovation.
