Novo Nordisk and Aspect Biosystems collaborate to create disease-modifying treatments for diabetes and obesity

Novo Nordisk and Aspect Biosystems collaborate to create disease-modifying treatments for diabetes and obesity

(IN BRIEF) Novo Nordisk has announced a collaboration with Aspect Biosystems to develop bioprinted tissue therapeutics for diabetes and obesity treatment. The collaboration will leverage Aspect’s bioprinting technology and Novo Nordisk’s expertise in stem cell differentiation and cell therapy development and manufacturing. Under the agreement, Novo Nordisk will receive an exclusive worldwide license to use Aspect’s bioprinting technology to develop up to four products for diabetes and/or obesity treatment, and Aspect will receive an initial payment of 75 million dollars. The collaboration aims to develop implantable bioprinted tissues to replace, repair, or supplement biological functions, starting with developing bioprinted tissue therapeutics to maintain normal blood glucose levels without the need for immunosuppression for people living with type 1 diabetes.

(PRESS RELEASE) VANCOUVER, BC, Canada/ BAGSVÆRD, Denmark, 12-Apr-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Novo Nordisk A/S (CPH: NOVO-B), a Danish multinational pharmaceutical company, has announced a collaboration with Aspect Biosystems to develop bioprinted tissue therapeutics for diabetes and obesity treatment. The collaboration will leverage Aspect’s bioprinting technology and Novo Nordisk’s expertise and technology in stem cell differentiation and cell therapy development and manufacturing.

As part of the agreement, Novo Nordisk will receive an exclusive, worldwide license to use Aspect’s bioprinting technology to develop up to four products for the treatment of diabetes and/or obesity. Aspect will receive an initial payment of 75 million dollars, research funding, and an investment in the form of a convertible note. They are also eligible to receive up to 650 million dollars in future milestone payments per product, as well as tiered royalties on future product sales.

“We are thrilled to partner with Novo Nordisk, a global leader and pioneer in the fight against diabetes and chronic diseases, to create breakthrough therapeutics that could transform the lives of millions of people around the world,” said Tamer Mohamed, chief executive officer, Aspect Biosystems. “This partnership leverages Aspect’s full-stack tissue therapeutic platform, talented team and bold vision, and reinforces our strategy to create bioprinted tissue therapeutics through partnerships with global industry leaders while also advancing our internal therapeutic pipeline.”

Aspect’s platform technology allows for the development of a novel class of cell-based medicine designed to be biologically functional, immune-protective, and suitable for surgical implantation. Novo Nordisk has expertise in differentiating stem cells into a wide array of cells and manufacturing capabilities to produce the cells at scale.

“Novo Nordisk has built strong capabilities when it comes to producing functional and highly pure therapeutic replacement cells at the highest quality and at scale,” said Jacob Sten Petersen, corporate vice president of Cell Therapy R&D, Novo Nordisk. “Collaborating with Aspect Biosystems adds an important component to our strategy to develop comprehensive cell therapy products. We are excited to co-develop solutions for cell therapy delivery that could lead to life-changing treatments for those living with a serious chronic disease.”

The collaboration aims to develop implantable bioprinted tissues to replace, repair, or supplement biological functions, with a focus on maintaining normal blood glucose levels without the need for immunosuppression. This has the potential to represent a transformative treatment for people living with type 1 diabetes. The collaboration will initially focus on developing bioprinted tissue therapeutics.

About Aspect Biosystems
Aspect Biosystems is a biotechnology company pioneering the development of bioprinted tissue therapeutics to transform how we treat currently incurable diseases. Aspect is creating these next generation cell therapies by applying its full-stack tissue therapeutic platform, which combines the company’s proprietary bioprinting technology, therapeutic cells, biomaterials, and computational design. Aspect’s bioprinted tissue therapeutics are designed to replace, repair, or supplement biological function inside the body with the aim of treating currently incurable diseases such as type 1 diabetes as well as genetic and acquired liver diseases. Learn more at www.aspectbiosystems.com.

About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity and rare blood and endocrine disorders. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 54,400 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com.

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