Novo Nordisk has agreed to acquire German biotech Cardior Pharmaceuticals in a deal that could reach $1.1 billion, as Novo continues to expand into the cardiovascular space.
The deal includes Cardior’s lead compound, CDR132L, currently in phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of heart failure. The potential first-in-class therapy is designed to halt and partially reverse cellular pathology by selectively blocking abnormal levels of the microRNA molecule miR-132, which could lead to long-lasting improvement in heart function. Novo Nordisk plans to initiate a second phase 2 trial that will investigate CDR132L in a chronic heart failure population with cardiac hypertrophy.
Cardior specializes in the development of therapies that target RNA as a means to prevent, repair and reverse diseases of the heart. The company’s therapeutic approach targets distinctive non-coding RNAs as a platform for addressing root causes of cardiac dysfunctions.
According to Novo, the acquisition is an important step forward in the company's strategy to establish a presence in cardiovascular disease — a goal that was given a boost earlier this month when the FDA approved a label expansion for weight-loss drug Wegovy for reducing the risks of major adverse cardiovascular events including cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack or non-fatal stroke, in adults with either overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease.
Following that approval, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued updated guidance for Medicare Part D plans, enabling coverage of Wegovy for heart disease patients insured under the U.S. Medicare program.