• Posted May 16, 2025

Novo Nordisk, U.S. Biotech Company Team Up to Create Obesity Pills

FRIDAY, May 16, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk is teaming up with California-based biotech Septerna to develop new pills to treat obesity, type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

The deal could be worth up to $2.2 billion for Septerna. This includes more than $200 million in upfront and short-term milestone payments, plus future rewards tied to research, development and sales. Septerna will also get royalties on any future product sales, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Novo Nordisk will pay all the research and development costs for the project.

The U.S. biotech company has developed a platform that finds and develops drugs that target special proteins called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). 

These proteins help pass chemicals from outside cells to the inside. Many major drugs on the market today also target GPCRs.

Novo Nordisk’s best-known drug, Wegovy, targets a GPCR called GLP-1. Eli Lilly’s popular weight-loss drug Zepbound targets both GLP-1 and another GPCR called GIP.

“Septerna has demonstrated strong capabilities in GPCR drug discovery," Marcus Schindler, chief scientific officer at Novo Nordisk, told The Wall Street Journal.

“We are excited about the opportunity to develop oral small molecule medicines directed at multiple targets,” he added.

The two companies plan four programs to create pills that target GPCRs including GLP-1, GIP and glucagon — which are important proteins involved in blood sugar and appetite control, The WSJ said.

Right now, leading weight-loss drugs must be injected into the body. Pill versions could make the drugs more convenient for patients and easier to ship and store.

About one-third of drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) target GPCRs, according to Novo Nordisk. But an estimated 75% of GPCR targets have not yet been used in medicine, meaning there’s still a big opportunity for discovery.

Septerna’s stock jumped 69% in premarket trading after the deal was announced. Novo Nordisk’s stock rose 1.2% in European trading.

More information

The Mayo Clinic has more on prescription weight-loss drugs.

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal, May 15, 2025