Novo Nordisk to buy Cardior Pharmaceuticals

Novo Nordisk has agreed to acquire Cardior Pharmaceuticals, a leader in the discovery and development of RNA-based therapies for heart failure for up to €1.025 billion.

The agreement includes Cardior’s lead compound CDR132L, currently being investigated in a Phase II clinical trial (HF-REVERT) for the treatment of heart failure.

The deal comprises an upfront payment, plus additional payments if certain development and commercial milestones are achieved.

CDR132L is designed to halt and partially reverse cellular pathology by selectively blocking abnormal levels of the microRNA molecule miR-132, potentially leading to long-lasting improvement in heart function.

“We have been impressed by the scientific work carried out by the Cardior team, especially on CDR132L, which has a distinctive mode of action and potential to become a first-in-class therapy designed to halt or partially reverse the course of disease for people living with heart failure,” commented Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president for Development at Novo Nordisk.

A Phase Ib trial of CDR132L, published in the European Heart Journal, reported the therapy to be safe and well tolerated, with the results suggesting cardiac functional improvements in people with heart failure compared to placebo.

CDR132L is currently being investigated in 280 people with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who have previously suffered a heart attack (myocardial infarction). The first patient was dosed in the HF-REVERT trial in July 2022.

Novo Nordisk said it plans to start a second Phase II trial that will investigate CDR132L in a chronic heart failure population with cardiac hypertrophy.

The acquisition of Cardior is a in important step forward in Novo Nordisk’s strategy to establish a presence in cardiovascular disease.

“This acquisition is a reflection of CDR132L’s transformative potential as a disease-modifying therapy for heart failure,” said Claudia Ulbrich, MD, CEO and co-founder of Cardior. “Novo Nordisk is the ideal partner based on its deep clinical and commercial expertise combined with its resources to accelerate our late-stage development programme, including through larger registrational studies. We look forward to advancing CDR132L towards market approval.”

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024, subject to receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.

Regenerative potential: cell‑based therapies for heart failure