Septerna secures US$2.2B partnership with Novo Nordisk for oral therapies

USA/GERMANY— American company Septerna, Inc. and Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk have announced a major global partnership to discover, develop, and commercialize new oral small molecule medicines for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other cardiometabolic diseases.

This exclusive collaboration combines Novo Nordisk’s expertise in metabolic health with Septerna’s strengths in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) drug discovery, aiming to address the growing global burden of these conditions.

Under the agreement, the two companies will initially launch four development programs focused on creating small molecule therapies that target specific GPCRs, including the GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors.

These receptors are crucial because they regulate a wide range of physiological processes across various organ systems, making them attractive targets for innovative therapies in metabolic diseases.

Marcus Schindler, executive vice president and chief scientific officer at Novo Nordisk, emphasized the company’s longstanding commitment to innovation in obesity and diabetes.

He explained that Novo Nordisk is expanding its scientific leadership by building a broad pipeline that includes both peptides and small molecules.

By leveraging different therapeutic modalities, the company aims to increase flexibility in targeting various disease mechanisms, dosing regimens, and scalability.

Schindler also highlighted Septerna’s proven capabilities in GPCR drug discovery, expressing enthusiasm about the potential to develop oral medicines that address multiple disease targets.

Septerna, based in California, utilizes its proprietary Native Complex Platform™ to unlock the full potential of GPCR-targeted therapies.

The company is dedicated to discovering and developing a pipeline of oral small molecules for several therapeutic areas, with an initial focus on endocrinology, immunology, inflammation, and metabolic diseases.

Jeffrey Finer, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Septerna, noted that Novo Nordisk’s track record of bringing transformative therapies to market-especially in metabolic disease-makes it an ideal partner.

He added that the collaboration offers a significant opportunity to create multiple groundbreaking oral medicines for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related conditions.

Furthermore, the partnership provides Septerna with the resources and operational flexibility to advance its broader portfolio of GPCR-targeted programs.

Financially, the agreement is substantial. Septerna is eligible to receive up to US$2.2 billion from Novo Nordisk, which includes more than US$200 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments.

The remaining value will be tied to research, development, and commercial milestones.

Additionally, Septerna will receive tiered royalties on global net sales of any marketed products resulting from the collaboration.

Novo Nordisk will cover all research and development expenses for partnered programs, and starting from the IND-enabling phase, will assume sole responsibility for global development and commercialization activities.

Septerna also retains the right to opt into a worldwide profit share for one program, instead of receiving future milestones and royalties for that candidate.

The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.

The closing of the deal is expected in the second quarter of 2025.

This partnership is part of Novo Nordisk’s broader strategy to remain at the forefront of the rapidly evolving obesity treatment market, which is projected to reach US$150 billion globally.

 The company is investing in next-generation therapies and expanding its portfolio to include more convenient oral treatments, aiming to set new standards of care for patients worldwide.

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