Novartis Signs $1.8 Billion Deal for Oral Peptide Cardiovascular Therapies
Novartis has entered a research and licensing agreement worth up to $1.8 billion with Unnatural Products to develop oral peptide medicines targeting cardiovascular disease using macrocyclic peptide technology.
Novartis is making a sizable bet on the future of oral peptide medicines, signing a research and licensing agreement worth up to $1.8 billion with California based biotech Unnatural Products to develop therapies aimed at cardiovascular disease.
The structure of the deal is front loaded enough to matter. Unnatural Products can receive up to $100 million in upfront and pre IND milestone payments, with another $1.7 billion tied to development, regulatory, and commercial milestones. On top of that, it stands to earn mid single to low double digit royalties on net sales if products reach the market.
The science centers on macrocyclic peptides, which are designed to behave more like small molecules while retaining the target precision typically associated with biologics. The idea is to go after hard to reach cardiovascular targets with an oral drug, something the industry has long chased.