Novo Nordisk’s chief scientific officer looks to the future of GLP-1s
Dec 13, 2024
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Marcus Schindler, Novo Nordisk’s chief scientific officer and executive VP of research, discusses the breakthrough success of GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide in treating Type 2 diabetes and obesity. He reveals exciting innovations in dosing strategies and emerging applications in neurodegenerative diseases. Schindler also highlights the integration of psi RNA technology for better chronic disease management and the transformative impact of AI on drug development. His insights showcase how Novo Nordisk is innovating and collaborating to tackle significant health challenges.
Novo Nordisk is exploring innovative delivery mechanisms and dosing methods for GLP-1s to enhance patient adherence and treatment efficacy.
The potential of GLP-1s extends beyond diabetes and obesity, with ongoing trials investigating their impact on neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Deep dives
Role of Chief Scientific Officer
The Chief Scientific Officer at Novo Nordisk plays a multifaceted role that encompasses executive leadership, research, and development oversight. This position involves engaging in broad organizational decisions while leading the ideation and experimentation phases of drug research. The Chief Scientific Officer ensures that the scientific foundation is integral to company strategies and that the organization is on a trajectory toward cutting-edge scientific advancements. Markus Schindler highlights the significance of communicating the importance of science within the company and the broader context of chronic disease treatment.
Future of GLP-1 Drugs
The discussion around GLP-1 drugs emphasizes their evolving applications beyond diabetes and obesity to potentially addressing liver diseases and fibrosis. There has been significant investment and scientific experimentation in this area, leading to promising clinical trial results that have garnered attention. Schindler notes the possibility of achieving greater weight loss efficacy while also ensuring that patients can maintain their weight in the long term. The company aims to innovate by exploring scalability and new dosing methods, including infrequent or even vaccine-like administration of these treatments.
Innovations in Drug Delivery
Novo Nordisk is committed to enhancing patient compliance and drug effectiveness through innovative delivery mechanisms, such as exploring oral versus injectable versions of their drugs. The company is also evaluating collaborations aimed at achieving less frequent dosing schedules that could simplify administration and potentially reduce the amount of active ingredient needed. Schindler discusses the variation in patient preferences, highlighting the importance of addressing diverse needs, which may include options for daily tablets or less frequent injections. The ongoing efforts also include the development of Amicretin, a compound designed to combine GLP-1 and Amylin receptor agonists for enhanced weight loss results.
Exploration of New Therapeutic Areas
There is growing interest in the potential of GLP-1s to play a role in treating neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, as the company runs important phase three trials to explore this relationship. Schindler emphasizes the scarcity of novel treatment options in this area and the company's commitment to investigating whether GLP-1s can significantly impact cognitive decline. The integration of innovative technologies, such as psi RNA in diabetes and obesity treatments, is also a focal point. Schindler believes that leveraging AI and large data sets can aid in target identification and enhance future drug discovery processes.
GLP-1 agonists have taken the pharma world by storm, and Novo Nordisk has been at the forefront of it all with its blockbuster drug semaglutide, which it sells as Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. Semaglutide and other GLP-1s have gained widespread popularity as treatments for Type 2 diabetes and obesity, and it doesn’t stop there—they’re currently being tested in a wide variety of additional therapeutic areas and in new dosages and forms.
In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce’s James Waldron talked to Marcus Schindler, Novo’s chief scientific officer and executive VP of research and early development, about what’s next for GLP-1s and what else is top of mind at the Danish pharma.