Flagship Pioneering and Novo Nordisk have announced a collaboration to create a portfolio of research programmes aimed at developing transformational medicines.
The companies will explore opportunities to apply Flagship’s bioplatforms - an ecosystem that currently comprises 41 companies - to scientific challenges in disease areas within cardiometabolic and rare diseases and initiate research programmes based on these.
“We are excited about this new agreement which will give Novo Nordisk access to Flagships’ large and diverse portfolio of companies, representing a wide variety of novel cutting-edge technologies and therapeutic modalities,” said Marcus Schindler, PhD, professor, Executive Vice President and CSO of Novo Nordisk. “This is a new and innovative way of collaborating, which combines the strength of Flagship Pioneering’s bioplatforms with Novo Nordisk’s cardiometabolic and rare disease expertise.”
Novo Nordisk will provide funding for initiated research programmes and have an exclusive option to license each programme. The ambition is to initiate three to five research programs within the first three years of the collaboration.
“We enter into this collaboration with Novo Nordisk with a shared vision of creating transformational medicines in disease areas where there continue to be significant needs,” said Paul Biondi, President, Pioneering Medicines and Executive Partner, Flagship Pioneering. “This strategic partnership demonstrates the unique advantages of our Pioneering Medicines model in which we bring together complementary capabilities and expertise from multiple companies to deliver life-changing medicines to patients.”