Danish drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk is partnering with California-based biotech Septerna to develop the latest pills to treat obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.
The deal could be estimated at up to $2.2 billion for Septerna. It includes more than $200 million in upfront and short-term milestone payments, including future rewards linked to research, development and sales, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Novo Nordisk will pay all the research and development charges for the project.
U.S. biotech firm develops drugs to target GPCRs
The U.S. biotech firm is now developing the most effective drugs that particularly target certain proteins, known as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).
These proteins assist in passing chemicals inside the cell. Several major drugs on the market today further target GPCRs.
“Septerna has demonstrated strong capabilities in GPCR drug discovery," chief scientific officer at Novo Nordisk, Marcus Schindler, informed The Wall Street Journal.
“We are excited about the opportunity to develop oral small-molecule medicines directed at multiple targets,” he added.
Both of these companies are currently planning four programmes to produce pills that target GPCRs, including GLP-1, GIP and glucagon, which are essential proteins involved in maintaining blood sugar and controlling appetite, according to The WSJ.
Up to one-third of drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) target GPCRs, Novo Nordisk reported.
However, a projected 75% of GPCR targets have not yet been used in medicine.
