Novo and Orbis strike up to $1.4 billion partnership to develop oral peptide macrocycles for cardiometabolic disease

Novo Pharmaceuticals has entered a partnership with fellow Danish firm Orbis Medicines that could be worth as much as $1.4 billion. The agreement includes upfront payments, downstream payouts and royalties as the two companies work together on a series of oral peptide "macrocycles."\n\nThe collaboration will focus on macrocycle molecules that aim to deliver oral treatments for cardiometabolic conditions, potentially replacing injectable biologics. Both companies said they will pursue unnamed targets within this therapeutic area.\n\nDetails on the exact number of drug candidates or specific disease indications were not disclosed.

The deal highlights Novo's broader push into oral biologics, a field challenged by poor digestive absorption; for example, the highest dose of Novo's Wegovy pill must be 20 times the injectable dose because much of the drug is broken down before reaching the bloodstream.