After dominating the market weight loss medicinalOzempic maker Novo Nordisk is aiming to tackle heart disease next.

The Danish pharmaceutical giant made the announcement on Monday. Acquired Cardio Pharmaceuticals to the tune of 1.03 billion euros ($1.1 billion). Cardior, a German-based pharmaceutical company, is developing treatments that target his RNA for the prevention and treatment of heart disease. Novo Nordisk said the partnership is an important step for the company to establish its presence in this field.

Martin Horst Lange, executive vice president of development at Novo Nordisk, said: “Having Cardiol as part of Novo Nordisk expands our cardiovascular disease project, which already has programs underway across all stages of clinical development. This will strengthen the pipeline.” statement.

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024 and includes Cardiol’s lead drug candidate CDR132L. This treatment is currently in phase 2 clinical trials to test its effectiveness in treating heart failure. It is designed to prevent and reverse heart failure by blocking abnormal levels of the microRNA molecule miR-132.

Novo Nordisk plans to begin a Phase 2 clinical trial of the drug to investigate its effects on cardiac hypertrophy, a condition in which the heart’s walls become thick and hard.

Wegovy is now covered by Medicare as a unique health benefit

The news comes after the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced last week that Medicare Part D plans now have coverage. Novo Nordisk’s popular weight loss drug Wegoby – at least For patients who are prescribed medicine as a method Reduces the risk of serious heart disease (such as heart attack or stroke).

“[A]”An anti-obesity drug that receives FDA approval for additional medically recognized indications may be considered a Part D drug for that specific use,” a CMS spokesperson said in an email. he told Quartz in a statement.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Wegovy is approved for use on March 8, several months after Novo Nordisk announced the results of the clinical trial that discovered the drug. reduce risk 20% reduction in serious cardiac events.