Novo Seeks New Obesity Drugs from Another Flagship Startup

Novo Nordisk has announced a partnership with Metaphore Biotechnologies to develop up to two new obesity treatments. The deal could see Novo Nordisk pay up to $600 million in upfront and milestone payments, with a commitment to participate in future financing rounds. The initial payment amount was not disclosed by Metaphore. The collaboration aims to target the GLP-1 receptor, which is the focus of Novo's well-known weight loss drug, Wegovy. The goal is to develop drugs with longer-lasting effects, as current GLP-1 treatments like Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound require weekly injections and are often in short supply.

This alliance marks Metaphore's first major partnership since being launched by Flagship Pioneering in May of last year. Metaphore specializes in creating imitations of pharmacophores, the molecular components that trigger specific biological responses. While the startup has not yet named a lead program or initial disease target, it has suggested that its technology could be applied to a range of conditions, including immune diseases and cancer. Lovisa Afzelius, Metaphore’s CEO, emphasized that the partnership not only validates the company's platform but also helps in expanding the company by collaborating with experts in drug development.

Uli Stilz, head of Novo Nordisk’s Bio Innovation Hub in Boston, highlighted that Metaphore's technology offers a unique capability to help design and develop next-generation weight loss therapies. This new alliance with Metaphore is Novo Nordisk’s third collaboration stemming from a 2022 agreement with Flagship. That initial agreement is part of Flagship's Pioneering Medicines initiative, which aims to foster drug creation by leveraging research from a network of startups. This initiative has already led to other significant partnerships, including deals between Novo Nordisk and Flagship startups Omega Therapeutics and Cellarity, as well as broader collaborations with Pfizer and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Novo Nordisk's partnership with Metaphore continues the company's recent emphasis on cardiometabolic research. The company has made several recent acquisitions and collaborations in this field, including biotechs like Cardior, Inversago Pharma, and Embark Biotech. Novo has also partnered with various startups and academic institutions to further their research capabilities in this area. Uli Stilz emphasized the importance of advancing cardiometabolic disease research, referencing a MassBio report that indicated heart drugs make up just 2% of the combined drug pipelines of Massachusetts-based biotech firms.

Stilz also noted that the ecosystem of cardiometabolic research is continually evolving and that Novo Nordisk aims to be a long-term participant. This partnership with Metaphore is seen as a strategic move to enhance Novo Nordisk's drug development pipeline and address the growing demand for effective, long-lasting obesity treatments. The collaboration is expected to leverage Metaphore's innovative approach to pharmacophore development, potentially leading to breakthroughs in the treatment of obesity and related conditions.