Novo Nordisk Returns to Collaboration Strategy with Life Edit Therapeutics in Gene Editing Deal
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Base editing is an innovative technology with the potential to modify intact cell DNA by either creating gene knockouts or correcting specific errors or mutations. The majority of disease-causing mutations in humans are single nucleotide polymorphisms, requiring only a single nucleotide alteration for correction. Prior to the development of base editors, correcting such mutations involved replacing the faulty DNA with exogenous DNA templates while inducing DNA double-strand breaks using nuclease-based technologies like CRISPR, ZFNs, or TALENs.
Although these methods can be accurate, their effectiveness in cells isolated from patients is often limited or ineffective. To create cell-based therapies for treating patients with solid tumors, multiple gene-editing events (typically five to ten) are necessary to generate resilient primary cells capable of surviving within an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. While CRISPR, ZFNs, or TALENs can achieve this level of gene knockout, they rely on the introduction of double-strand breaks, which is not an ideal approach. With the invent of novel techniques, the global gene editing technology market is expected to record a CAGR of 28.2% during 2023-2027 to reach US$8 billion by 2027, increasing from US$3 billion in 2023.
- Novo Nordisk, following a series of significant acquisitions, has returned to its familiar strategy of engaging in small, early-stage collaborations. The Danish pharmaceutical company has collaborated with Life Edit Therapeutics, focusing on gene editing technology, an area in which Novo has previously taken a different stance.
- In this collaboration, Novo Nordisk has chosen to look beyond the prominent Crispr players and team up with Life Edit, a subsidiary of Elevatebio. Life Edit has gained recognition for its previous collaboration with Moderna in February. When asked about the reasons behind the partnership, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson highlighted Life Edit's base editing capabilities and its extensive library of nucleases, which offer improved specificity and reduced risk of off-target effects, a significant concern in in vivo editing.
- Base editing, a technique that enables single base changes in the genome, offers an advantage over conventional Crispr nuclease-based editing by avoiding double-stranded breaks that have raised concerns. However, as Life Edit's technology is still in the early stages, the company has a long way to go in substantiating its claim of being capable of making edits anywhere in the genome.
- Ex vivo and in vivo editing methods are active projects at Life Edit. Although Novo Nordisk has stated that it seeks to create treatments that are potentially first in class or best in class, it has not made a preference between the two.
- Although the financial terms of the collaboration was not disclosed, Novo Nordisk could face substantial costs, as the company is obligated to pay milestones ranging from $250-335 million for each of the seven development programs covered by the deal.
- Additionally, as part of Elevatebio's $401 million round D funding, Novo Nordisk is investing an undisclosed amount of equity in the parent organisation of Life Edit.
- Specific details regarding the diseases targeted by Novo Nordisk and Life Edit have not been revealed, except that they fall within the rare and cardio metabolic sphere. Novo Nordisk has been actively expanding its presence in the rare disease space, evident from its acquisition of Forma, a sickle cell player, in September last year. This move seemed contradictory to its stance on gene editing, similar to its previous acquisition of Prothena's PRX004 in transthyretin amyloidosis, an area where the Crispr specialist Intellia is already active.
- The collaboration with Life Edit is not Novo Nordisk's first venture into gene editing. The company collaborated with Bluebird in 2019 to do in vivo editing research for haemophilia along with other genetic disorders. In order to move further with this study, Novo Nordisk has just given a $15 million milestone to Bluebird's spinoff, 2seventy Bio, for preclinical proof-of-concept evidence.
- Novo Nordisk's collaboration with Life Edit Therapeutics demonstrates the company's continued interest in exploring gene-editing technology. By engaging with early-stage partners and focusing on innovative approaches such as base editing, Novo Nordisk aims to develop pioneering therapies in the rare and cardio metabolic disease space.
BioIntel360 suggests that the advent of novel gene-editing techniques has paved the way for significant growth in the global gene editing technology market, with projections indicating a substantial increase in value over the coming years. Companies like Novo Nordisk recognize the transformative impact of these technologies and are actively engaging in collaborations to harness their potential. In its collaboration with Life Edit Therapeutics, Novo Nordisk has taken a strategic approach by collaborating with a company that specializes in base editing capabilities and boasts an extensive library of nucleases. This focus on base editing aligns with Novo Nordisk's pursuit of innovative and potentially first-in-class treatments, particularly in the rare and cardio metabolic disease space.
