Gensaic Partners with Novo Nordisk to Develop Next-Gen Precision Therapies
Gensaic, Inc., a biotechnology firm specializing in AI-driven protein design and biological insights to discover ligands for tissue-selective intracellular delivery, has announced a new license and discovery collaboration with global healthcare leader Novo Nordisk. This partnership combines Novo Nordisk’s extensive therapeutic expertise and drug development capabilities with Gensaic’s innovative protein design technology. The goal of the collaboration is to identify tissue-targeting ligands and develop novel therapeutic candidates aimed at treating cardiometabolic diseases through undisclosed targets.
Gensaic, Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in AI-driven protein design and biological insights to discover tissue-selective intracellular delivery ligands, has announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Novo Nordisk, a global leader in healthcare. The partnership combines Gensaic’s cutting-edge FORGE™ technology with Novo Nordisk’s vast therapeutic expertise and market insights, focusing on the discovery of tissue-targeting ligands to treat cardiometabolic diseases through undisclosed targets.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Novo Nordisk, a recognized leader in the cardiometabolic space known for its success in delivering transformative therapies,” said Lavi Erisson, M.D., CEO and President of Gensaic. “By combining Gensaic’s innovative FORGE™ engine with Novo Nordisk’s deep knowledge of therapeutic development, we open up new possibilities for precision medicine. This collaboration enhances our ability to drive forward our pipeline of innovations and strengthen our protein modeling capabilities.”
Tissue targeting is central to the next wave of precision medicine, enabling the delivery of drugs directly to specific organs or cells in the body. However, targeting beyond the liver has been a persistent challenge, and there is a clear need for new biological mechanisms to deliver therapeutics to the right places. Gensaic’s FORGE™ engine addresses this challenge by combining unbiased protein evolution with machine-guided design. This allows Gensaic to map the complex network of protein interactions that govern how molecules travel through the body, enabling the discovery of ligands that can be targeted to specific tissues and cell types.
“Tissue targeting holds immense potential, not only in terms of the modalities it enables but also for addressing diseases that have been difficult to treat,” said Uli Stilz, Head of Novo Nordisk’s Bio Innovation Hub.
“Gensaic’s innovative technology provides a unique approach to screening tissue-targeting ligands in an unbiased manner. By combining this approach with our deep expertise in disease and drug development, we believe we can target challenging diseases more effectively, enhancing efficacy while minimizing potential side effects.”
As part of the collaboration, Gensaic is eligible to receive up to $354 million in upfront payments, development, and commercial milestones per target, along with tiered royalties. Novo Nordisk will also reimburse Gensaic for research and development costs and participate in future financing rounds. Additionally, a Novo Nordisk executive will join Gensaic’s board as a non-voting observer. Through this agreement, Gensaic will be responsible for discovering novel protein ligands, while Novo Nordisk retains rights to further develop these ligands into therapeutic candidates. Novo Nordisk also has the option to license multiple therapeutic programs for research, development, and commercialization.
Gensaic’s approach to developing tissue-selective ligands is focused on advancing therapies for age-related diseases, with an initial focus on siRNA payloads. The company’s proprietary FORGE™ engine integrates phage-display technology with generative AI to conduct unbiased protein evolution. This powerful combination allows Gensaic to identify and optimize protein scaffolds with enhanced tissue selectivity and drug-like properties. The company’s unique approach aims to enable the selective delivery of any therapeutic payload to any tissue of interest, offering significant potential in the treatment of a variety of conditions.
Founded through MIT and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Gensaic’s award-winning team of physicians, bioengineers, and machine learning scientists is advancing its mission to revolutionize drug delivery systems. By leveraging its AI-powered protein design technology, Gensaic is positioning itself at the forefront of the precision medicine revolution, with the goal of addressing unmet medical needs and improving patient outcomes.
Novo Nordisk, headquartered in Denmark and founded in 1923, is a global healthcare company focused on defeating serious chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Novo Nordisk is renowned for pioneering scientific breakthroughs and expanding access to medicines. Through this partnership with Gensaic, the company aims to further its mission of improving global health by developing next-generation therapies for cardiometabolic diseases.
In conclusion, the collaboration between Gensaic and Novo Nordisk represents a major step forward in the development of precision medicines. By combining Gensaic’s innovative FORGE™ engine with Novo Nordisk’s expertise in drug development and therapeutic insights, the partnership has the potential to unlock new treatment options for patients with cardiometabolic diseases. With up to $354 million in funding, this collaboration will accelerate the discovery and development of novel tissue-targeting ligands, offering new hope for patients and advancing the field of precision medicine.
