TransTech Pharma, Inc. and Novo Nordisk A/S announced today that
TransTech has acquired all rights from Novo Nordisk to a portfolio of
drug candidates being developed to treat metabolic disorders. This
portfolio is comprised of three distinct therapeutic approaches to
such treatment: H3 receptor antagonists, PPAR(delta) agonists, and
11(beta)HSD1 inhibitors.
After determining in January 2007 to focus all Novo Nordisk
research and development resources on the company´s growing pipeline
of protein-based pharmaceuticals, the company divested all existing
preclinical and clinical small-molecule projects. Novo Nordisk
selected TransTech to develop these three programs based on its prior
success working closely with TransTech on novel drug development.
"We are very pleased to place our programs in such good hands. We
have previously partnered with TransTech, and know that TransTech has
the capability to effectively and expeditiously proceed with the
further development of these programs," said Novo Nordisk Executive
Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen.
"This allows us to focus our R&D efforts on therapeutic proteins while
keeping a financial stake in the programs as a TransTech shareholder."
"We are extremely pleased to have prevailed in the acquisition
process and to add these programs to our robust diabetes and obesity
portfolio," said Adnan Mjalli, PhD, TransTech´s founder, chairman and
chief executive officer. "We are confident that all three programs
represent promising approaches to addressing unmet medical needs.
These additions to the pipeline will allow TransTech to become a world
leader in the discovery and development of novel treatments for
diabetes, obesity and other metabolic disorders."
TransTech´s current diabetes and obesity portfolio includes orally
administered and novel therapeutic development candidates targeting
PTP1b inhibitors, AgRP inhibitors, GLP1R agonists, AMPK activators and
glucokinase activators. Now, with the addition of the three Novo
Nordisk programs, TransTech is engaged in 11 clinical and preclinical
programs in this area.
Despite the enormous investment in the discovery of new
therapeutics for metabolic disorders, more than 84 percent of all
diabetics have an uncontrolled disease and one in three Americans born
in 2000 are expected to develop the disease and experience its range
of harmful symptoms and side effects.
"TransTech Pharma is in a unique position to potentially treat
metabolic disorders through novel, multifaceted therapeutic approaches
that address obesity, hepatic glucose output, insulin resistance, beta
cell preservation, dyslipidemia and microvascular complications," Dr.
Mjalli said.
TransTech made an undisclosed one-time payment to Novo Nordisk for
acquisition of the programs.
About TransTech Pharma
TransTech Pharma is a privately held clinical-stage pharmaceutical
company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of
human therapeutics to fill unmet medical needs. The company´s
high-throughput drug discovery platform, Translational Technology(R),
translates the functional modulation of human proteins into safe and
effective medicines. TransTech has a pipeline of small molecule
clinical and pre-clinical drug candidates for the treatment of a wide
range of human diseases including cardiovascular disorders, central
nervous system disorders, type I/II diabetes, obesity and cancer. For
further company information, visit http://www.ttpharma.com.
About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company and a world leader in
diabetes care. In addition, Novo Nordisk has a leading position within
areas such as haemostasis management, growth hormone therapy and
hormone replacement therapy. Novo Nordisk manufactures and markets
pharmaceutical products and services that make a significant
difference to patients, the medical profession and society. With
headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs more than 26,000
employees in 79 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries.
Novo Nordisk´s B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in
Copenhagen and London. Its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol NVO. For more information, visit
novonordisk.com.
