Novo Nordisk has agreed to acquire Cardiol 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, which is currently being investigated in a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of heart failure (HF-REVERT).

The agreement consists of 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, which may lead to long-term improvements in cardiac function. there is.

“We are impressed by the scientific research carried out by the Cardior team, especially the work on CDR132L. “This treatment has the potential to be a first-in-class treatment for people living with heart failure,” said Martin Horst Lange, executive vice president of development at Novo Nordisk.

A phase Ib trial of CDR132L published in the European Heart Journal reported that the treatment was safe and well-tolerated, with results suggesting improved cardiac function in heart failure patients compared to placebo. are doing.

CDR132L is currently being studied in 280 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who have had a previous heart attack (myocardial infarction). The first patient was dosed in the HF-REVERT study in July 2022.

Novo Nordisk said it plans to begin a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating CDR132L in a chronic heart failure population with cardiac hypertrophy.

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

“This acquisition reflects the transformative potential of CDR132L as a disease-modifying therapy for heart failure,” said Claudia Ulbrich, MD, CEO and co-founder of Cardior. “Novo Nordisk is an ideal partner, combining deep clinical and commercial expertise with resources to accelerate our late-stage development program, including large-scale registration studies. CDR132L advances toward market approval I’m looking forward to doing that.”

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

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