Novo Nordisk, the owner of the Ozempic and Wegovy GLP-1 drugs, has announced a deal to work with a Californian biotech firm on a weight-loss implant.
The Danish pharmaceutical giant has signed an agreement with Vivani to "evaluate" NPM-139, a semaglutide drug implant in development for "chronic weight management", a statement read.
NPM-139 is a miniature subdermal implant that delivers medication steadily over periods of time. Semaglutide is marketed by Novo Nordisk as Ozempic and Wegovy to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. Nevertheless, more broadly, GLP-1 medication has attracted users without the conditions.
The financial terms of the deal between Novo Nordisk and Vivani were not disclosed, though the two companies said there are no exclusivity provisions in the agreement.
According to Vivani, its technology can help overcome tolerability issues and loss of efficacy. Research also suggests that many patients do not adhere to the once-weekly injection regimen for injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs).
Adam Mendelsohn, Vivani’s CEO, said: “The new agreement announced today supporting our semaglutide implant programme in chronic weight management demonstrates Novo Nordisk’s interest in evaluating our technology and its lead semaglutide application. This agreement reinforces our confidence regarding the market opportunity for our GLP-1RA implants under development.
Mendelsohn added the “implants under development, including NPM-139, could address a growing segment of patients who would prefer a convenient once- or twice-yearly treatment option and the peace of mind that treatment could be stopped at any time if that became necessary”.
Separately, Vivani is planning to start a Phase I, first-in-human study evaluating the NPM-139 semaglutide implant this year with Novo Nordisk’s injectable Wegovy set to be the active comparator. The study’s objectives are to characterise the safety, pharmacokinetics and tolerability of NPM-139 to support the start of a second, dose-ranging study.
For Novo Nordisk, the pact with Vivani is another push to fend off increasing pressure from rival Eli Lilly. The US drugmaker’s tirzepatide franchise, under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound for type 2 diabetes and obesity, respectively, has surged over recent years to become the dominant GLP-1RA on the market.
Novo Nordisk is already seeing success in the oral GLP-1RA arena, where it beat Lilly to market the first pill approved for weight loss. In May, the Danish big pharma company’s CEO Mike Doustdar touted a “record-breaking start” for the product, with performance only going from strength to strength since.
Last month, the UK became the first market in Europe to approve the use of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy GLP-1 drug in pill form.
The pill variant of the weight-loss drug landed on US shelves in January after securing the green light from the country’s Food and Drug Administration the previous month.
The authorisation by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency made the country the third to license the medication after the US and the UAE.
