By Fineline Cube 
Denmark-based Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO, CPH: NOVO-B) and Septerna, Inc. (NASDAQ: SEPN) announced an exclusive global collaboration and license agreement to discover, develop, and commercialize oral small molecule medicines for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other cardiometabolic diseases. The partnership combines Novo Nordisk’s scientific leadership in obesity and cardiometabolic diseases with Septerna’s expertise in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) drug discovery.
Financial Terms
Septerna is eligible to receive approximately $2.2 billion from Novo Nordisk, including over $200 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments. The total potential value includes research, development, and commercial milestone payments, along with tiered royalties on global net sales of marketed products.
Development Programs
The collaboration will initiate four development programs targeting key GPCR receptors, including GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors. Novo Nordisk will cover all research and development expenses for partnered programs. Starting at IND-enabling activities, Novo Nordisk will take sole responsibility for global development and commercialization. Septerna also has the option to participate in a worldwide profit share for one program in lieu of future milestones and royalties.
GPCR and Native Complex Platform
GPCRs represent the largest family of cell membrane receptors, regulating physiological processes across nearly every organ system. Septerna’s proprietary Native Complex Platform™ enables the isolation, purification, and reconstitution of GPCRs into complexes that mimic cell membranes. This platform allows for the screening of billions of candidate molecules and targets specific GPCRs to achieve desired therapeutic effects.
Quotes from Executives
Marcus Schindler, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Novo Nordisk, stated, “Novo Nordisk has a rich history of innovation in obesity and diabetes. We are building on our scientific leadership in this space and developing a broad pipeline across various targets and modalities, including peptides and small molecules. Leveraging different modalities creates important optionality in our pipeline in terms of potential targets, dosing regimens, and scalability.”
Jeffrey Finer, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Septerna, said, “Novo Nordisk has a long-standing track record of bringing transformative therapies to market, particularly in the field of metabolic disease, which makes them the ideal partner to advance a suite of programs targeting critical GPCRs for treating obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other related conditions.”-Fineline Info & Tech