Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, has announced its acquisition of Inversago Pharma, a private obesity drug manufacturer, for a potential sum of $1.08 billion. This move aims to expand Novo Nordisk’s portfolio of weight loss treatments, following the success of its Wegovy and Ozempic injections. The final price of the deal will be determined by Inversago’s achievement of specific development and sales targets, with the acquisition expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Based in Canada, Inversago specializes in developing experimental therapies for obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions. Their approach differs from traditional treatments in the obesity and diabetes field, as their drugs target the brain’s cannabinoid receptor type 1 to regulate metabolism and control appetite. On the other hand, Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic mimic a gut hormone to suppress appetite.
Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk’s executive vice president for development, expressed excitement about the acquisition and its potential to enhance their clinical development pipeline for obesity and related disorders. He believes Inversago’s innovative medicines have the potential to offer life-changing treatment options for those with chronic diseases, particularly individuals struggling with obesity.
Inversago’s primary therapy, an oral drug, demonstrated promising results in a phase one clinical trial, with patients losing an average of 7.7 pounds in 28 days. In contrast, those who received a placebo during the trial gained an average of 1 pound within the same period. Novo Nordisk intends to further explore the oral drug’s potential for obesity treatment and associated complications.
Separately, Novo Nordisk reported strong second-quarter results and raised its full-year outlook due to high demand for its obesity and diabetes products. However, the company also announced extended supply restrictions for certain dosages of Wegovy in the United States. Novo Nordisk’s CEO, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, noted in an interview with Reuters that the demand for Wegovy is expected to surpass supply availability in the foreseeable future, potentially lasting until 2024.
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