NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kallyope, a clinical stage biotechnology company discovering and developing novel therapies for diseases with high unmet need, today announced that under the terms of its research collaboration with Novo Nordisk to discover novel peptide therapeutics, a ligand identified by Kallyope has been licensed by Novo Nordisk for further development, including as a potential new mechanism for the treatment of obesity.
This is a significant scientific milestone stemming from the target discovery collaboration between the two companies. Under the terms of the agreement, Novo Nordisk will assume responsibility for further preclinical and clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization of the selected ligand. Kallyope received an upfront option exercise fee and may receive additional payments for development and sales milestones and royalties on worldwide product sales of licensed products.
“Novo Nordisk is one of the leaders in the discovery and development of therapeutics for obesity and diabetes, and we are excited that our strategic early discovery collaboration resulted in the identification of a promising novel ligand which Novo Nordisk has now licensed,” said Jay Galeota, President and CEO, Kallyope. “This advancement further validates the value of our unique Klarity™ discovery platform and our strength in early-stage discovery collaborations. Our platform’s broad set of integrated technologies allows us to understand communication between the gut, brain, and other organs in a fundamentally new way that is leading to the development of innovative therapeutic interventions for treating serious diseases.”
Kallyope is focused on developing the next generation of effective and well-tolerated agents addressing unmet needs in neurological disorders, including migraine, and metabolic disease. The discovery collaboration with Novo Nordisk leveraged the Kallyope Klarity™ platform for the identification of potential peptide-based therapies that could improve the obesity treatment landscape. Separately, Kallyope continues to advance its internal programs in metabolism.
“Novo Nordisk is committed to scientific collaboration that opens up new opportunities across our therapeutic areas, and we are pleased with the successful outcome of our partnership with the team at Kallyope,” said Bei Zhang, Corporate Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head of Diabetes, Obesity & MASH, in Research and Early Development at Novo Nordisk. “The preclinical data generated during the research collaboration indicate that this ligand could have the potential for beneficial effects on people living with obesity, and we are excited to explore this opportunity further.”
About Kallyope
Kallyope, a clinical stage biotechnology company, is leveraging its proprietary Klarity™ therapeutic platform to discover and develop novel therapeutics in areas with high unmet medical need, among them neurological disorders, including migraine, and metabolic disease.