Novo Nordisk has announced a $550 million partnership with California biotech Replicate Bioscience to develop RNA-based treatments for obesity and diabetes, marking the Danish pharmaceutical giant's latest effort to expand its cardiometabolic pipeline beyond its blockbuster GLP-1 drugs.
The collaboration, announced Thursday, centers on Replicate's self-replicating RNA platform, which represents a novel approach to mRNA therapeutics. Unlike traditional mRNA therapies, this technology includes cellular machinery designed to make copies of the mRNA therapy after dosing and cellular uptake, with the goal of amplifying the effective therapeutic dose.
Self-Replicating RNA Technology
According to Karina Thorn, corporate vice president of Nucleic Acid Research at Novo Nordisk, the self-replicating RNA approach "allows us to create a new avenue for development of novel, impactful therapies." Replicate co-founder Nathaniel Wang has described the process as "delivering a copy machine into the cell" along with the "instruction manual" that comes with messenger RNA.
The financial structure includes an undisclosed upfront payment and milestone commitments totaling $550 million, with Replicate also entitled to tiered royalties on future product sales. The companies have not disclosed the specific protein target for their collaboration.
Strategic Context Amid Market Challenges
This partnership comes as Novo Nordisk faces significant challenges with its current obesity franchise. Sales of Wegovy, the company's blockbuster weight loss drug, have been impacted by competition from cheaper compounded versions that emerged during supply shortages. Both Novo Nordisk and rival Eli Lilly failed to keep up with demand for their GLP-1 drugs, opening the door to these alternative products.
The difficulties led to a challenging first half of 2024 for Novo Nordisk, with the company cutting its financial forecasts in July and experiencing a 44% drop in share price year-to-date. The company also underwent leadership changes, with CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen announcing plans to step down in May and being replaced by company veteran Maziar Mike Doustdar this month.
Aggressive Pipeline Expansion Strategy
Despite these challenges, Novo Nordisk has maintained an aggressive dealmaking strategy throughout 2024 to deepen its cardiometabolic pipeline. In January, the company expanded its partnership with Valo Health for $190 million upfront plus $4.6 billion in milestones across up to 20 drug programs for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions.
The company made an even larger bet in March 2024, committing $2 billion to partner with China's United Laboratories International for worldwide rights to UBT251, a triple-G asset targeting GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors currently in early-stage development for obesity. In June, Novo invested $812 million to collaborate with Deep Apple Therapeutics on non-incretin oral therapies for obesity.
The Replicate partnership also follows collaborations announced last year with three different companies backed by Flagship Pioneering, and a May 2024 deal with biotechnology startup Septerna to develop oral obesity treatments.
Market Position and Future Outlook
Novo Nordisk's success with Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for obesity had previously vaulted the company into the ranks of the world's most valuable drugmakers. However, the supply challenges and competitive pressures have highlighted the need for diversification beyond the current GLP-1 approach.
The self-replicating RNA platform represents a potentially transformative approach to addressing obesity and diabetes, offering the possibility of more durable therapeutic effects compared to traditional treatments. As the company works to rebuild momentum in the obesity market while addressing supply chain issues, these strategic partnerships may prove crucial for maintaining its leadership position in cardiometabolic therapeutics.
