Novo Nordisk Secures Global License to Nanexa’s ALD Drug Delivery Platform
A global licensing agreement worth up to EUR 1.165 billion will leverage Nanexa's PharmaShell technology to develop long-acting injectable treatments for obesity and cardiometabolic conditions.
Swedish drug delivery platform company, Nanexa, has entered into a global exclusive license and collaboration agreement with Novo Nordisk around its atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology platform. The agreement, which was announced in a Sept. 25, 2026 press release, will grant Novo the global license to use Nanexa’s PharmaShell technology platform for certain peptide-based drugs targeting obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other cardiometabolic conditions (1).
The ALD-based drug delivery platform is a proprietary technology developed by Nanexa that has been designed to enable controlled and sustained release of APIs through an ultra-thin inorganic coating applied to individual drug particles. This collaboration between Novo and Nanexa is intended to support the development of differentiated long-acting injectable drugs with the potential of reducing dosing frequency and improving patient-experience.
“We are very excited about and proud of this license agreement with Novo and look forward to working with them to successfully develop products with less frequent dosing in obesity and type 2 diabetes indications,” said David Westberg, CEO of Nanexa, in a company press release (1). “Following our license and option agreement with Moderna in 2025, this agreement further strengthens the external validation of PharmaShell as a broadly applicable drug delivery platform and we believe this provides a strong foundation for expanding PharmaShell into additional therapeutic areas and to selectively advance additional internal programs towards clinical proof of concept, allowing us to capture greater value from the breadth of the PharmaShell platform.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Novo can use the ALD technology platform in up to five development programs and the collaboration includes the development of long-acting injectable formulations with different administration-frequency profiles, with monthly and quarterly administration target profiles. The agreement could see Nanexa receive total payments worth up to EUR 1.165 billion, including EUR 615 million in upfront payment as well as development and regulatory milestone payments — remaining milestones payments are sales related. Additionally, Nanexa will be eligible to receive low single-digit royalties on global net sales of products developed under the agreement.
“With this agreement, Nanexa enters a new era of considerable financial strength, allowing us to significantly expand applications of our unique ALD technology to other therapeutic areas and giving us an opportunity to build a sustainable long-term business,” added Göran Ando, Chairman of Nanexa, in the press release (1). “It will also allow us to take new projects further in development before partnering which will generate financially very attractive potential future partner deals. While expanding, our focus will also firmly be on creating a very successful partnership with Novo.”
Reference
Nanexa. Nanexa and Novo Enter into EUR 1.165 Billion Global License and Collaboration Agreement for Long-Acting Injectables. Press Release, Sept. 24, 2026.