DENMARK – Novo Nordisk is expanding its efforts to tackle sickle cell disease by partnering with IMMvention Therapeutix to co-develop oral treatments for the blood disorder and other chronic conditions.
This collaboration builds on Novo Nordisk’s entry into the sickle cell treatment market in 2022 when it acquired Forma Therapeutics for US $1.1 billion.
Forma’s lead candidate, the oral pyruvate kinase-R activator etavopivat, has since progressed into advanced clinical trials.
A phase 3 trial is expected to deliver results in 2026, and another late-stage study is now underway.
Meanwhile, Pfizer’s withdrawal of its sickle cell drug, Oxbryta, has created additional opportunities for Novo Nordisk to solidify its position in this therapeutic area.
IMMvention Therapeutix brings to the table its preclinical development of BACH1 inhibitors, a class of oral small molecules designed to stimulate fetal hemoglobin production.
This mechanism has attracted attention from other pharmaceutical companies, such as Mitobridge, acquired by Astellas in 2017.
Astellas initiated a phase 1 trial for its BACH1 inhibitor, ASP8731, in 2022 but halted the study prematurely due to “protocol-defined stopping criteria.”
Similarly, vTv Therapeutics has explored BACH1 inhibitors, licensing one candidate to Anteris Bio for renal disease applications while retaining rights for other indications.
IMMvention claims its BACH1 inhibitors possess superior drug-like properties compared to other similar compounds.
Although a specific timeline for clinical trials is absent from the Novo Nordisk partnership announcement, IMMvention’s roadmap outlines plans for IND-enabling studies and phase 1 trials in 2026 and 2027.
Under the agreement, Novo Nordisk assumes responsibility for advancing the development of systemic BACH1 inhibitors.
The pharmaceutical giant now holds a global license to these inhibitors while IMMvention retains rights to brain-penetrant BACH1 inhibitors, which could potentially address conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.