DENMARK – Novo Nordisk, a leader in metabolic treatment innovation, has entered a significant collaboration with fellow Danish company Ascendis Pharma to advance therapies for metabolic and cardiovascular conditions.
This strategic partnership includes developing a groundbreaking once-monthly glucagon-like peptide receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), positioning Novo Nordisk to potentially enhance its competitive edge in the growing market of metabolic therapies.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ascendis will harness its proprietary TransCon technology to drive the early development phases of these therapies.
This platform is designed to extend a drug’s activity duration in the body, enabling less frequent dosing schedules.
Ascendis has successfully proven the clinical efficacy of this technology through two FDA-approved products: Skytrofa, a once-weekly growth hormone injection approved in 2021, and Yorvipath, approved in August 2024 as a once-daily treatment for hypoparathyroidism.
Brian Vandahl, Novo Nordisk’s Senior Vice President of Global Research Technologies, remarked, “The collaboration with Ascendis allows us to explore significant potential in reducing the frequency of treatment for patients, an important step in improving therapy adherence and outcomes.”
Key elements of the partnership
Novo Nordisk is investing US $285 million upfront to secure an exclusive global license for using TransCon technology in developing its metabolic drugs.
The agreement also features product-by-product licenses for cardiovascular drug development. This financial commitment encompasses:
Ascendis CEO Jan Mikkelsen expressed, “This agreement with Novo Nordisk aligns with our Vision 2030 strategy, showcasing our commitment to expanding into large therapeutic areas beyond rare endocrine diseases through collaboration with global leaders.”
Regulatory and commercial prospects
Novo Nordisk, renowned for its GLP-1RA drugs such as semaglutide (marketed as Wegovy for obesity and Ozempic for type 2 diabetes), sees significant potential in developing a once-monthly treatment.
Semaglutide alone is projected to generate US $42.85 billion in revenue by 2030, driven by increasing demand for convenient and effective obesity and diabetes solutions, according to GlobalData.
Novo Nordisk’s main competitor, Eli Lilly, is advancing its tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for obesity, which could reach US $57.65 billion in sales in the same period.
Ascendis will manage initial product development and early clinical trials, while Novo Nordisk will take charge of later-stage clinical development, regulatory filings, and commercialization.
The partnership agreement includes a clause permitting Novo Nordisk to use TransCon technology across various indications, excluding certain areas such as rare endocrine diseases, ophthalmology, and oncology, to avoid overlap with Ascendis’s existing development pipeline.
Market impact and future prospects
The announcement of this collaboration had a positive impact on Ascendis’s market performance, with its stock value seeing a 1.5% increase on November 4, bolstering its US $7.5 billion market capitalization.
Ascendis’s projected global revenue is estimated at US $508 million for 2024, with expectations to surpass US $4.2 billion annually by 2030, according to GlobalData.
The deal builds on Ascendis’s existing partnerships, including a notable collaboration in 2023 with Japan’s Teijin Limited for rare endocrine diseases and the formation of Eyconis to apply TransCon in eye-related therapies.
