Novo Nordisk has acquired Embark Biotech and its lead asset targeting obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases.

The two companies have also entered a three-year research and development collaboration for discovering and developing new therapeutics for obesity and treatment for its related co-morbidities.

Novo Nordisk gains full rights to the development and commercialisation of the lead programme.

Embark shareholders will receive an upfront cash payment of €15m ($16.3m) with up to €456m ($498m) of potential development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments.

Novo Nordisk also has the option to acquire selected assets based on Embark’s discoveries in obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Embark Laboratories chief technology officer Zach Gerhart-Hines stated: “There is a clear strategic fit between the novel biology we have discovered and Novo Nordisk’s expertise and focus on developing new drugs in the cardiometabolic space.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

“We are thrilled to pass on the baton for our lead metabolic programme to Novo Nordisk.

“This deal and Embark’s success are direct outcomes of the unique and innovative ecosystem in Denmark that has been cultivated by the BioInnovation Institute and the University of Copenhagen and through initiatives from the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Innovation Fund Denmark.”

In August 2023, Novo Nordisk spent $1bn to acquire Inversago. The deal adds a novel mechanism for weight loss, the lead asset INV-202, to its pipeline.

INV-202 is an oral cannabinoid receptor type-1 inverse agonist that blocks the CB1 receptor.