Danish Pharma Giant Strikes $2.1B Deal for New Oral Weight Loss Medications

Novo Nordisk has entered a partnership worth up to $2.1 billion with U.S. company Vivtex to create pill versions of obesity and diabetes treatments. The collaboration aims to transform injectable medications into oral drugs using advanced delivery technology.

A major pharmaceutical company announced Wednesday it has signed a massive agreement potentially worth $2.1 billion to develop new pill-form treatments for obesity and diabetes.

Novo Nordisk, the Danish manufacturer behind popular weight loss drugs, has teamed up with American firm Vivtex Corp to create the next wave of oral medications for these conditions. The collaboration will focus on transforming biological drugs typically given through injections into pills that patients can take by mouth.

The financial arrangement includes an initial payment from Novo Nordisk to Vivtex, though the exact amount wasn’t disclosed. Additional payments will be made when certain development milestones are reached, plus ongoing royalties once products reach the market.

Vivtex will provide its specialized drug-delivery technology under the licensing agreement, while Novo Nordisk will handle worldwide development and bring the products to market. The U.S. company’s platform combines intestinal screening methods, advanced delivery systems, and artificial intelligence tools to help biological medications work effectively when taken as pills rather than injections.

The Danish pharmaceutical company already markets several GLP-1 medications for weight management and type 2 diabetes, including well-known brands Wegovy, Ozempic, and the oral diabetes treatment Rybelsus. Just last month, Novo Nordisk introduced the pill version of Wegovy in the United States, marking the first oral medication specifically approved for obesity treatment worldwide.

This partnership represents the latest effort by pharmaceutical companies to make weight loss and diabetes treatments more convenient for patients by eliminating the need for regular injections.