Novo Nordisk to acquire Cardior Pharmaceuticals

Cardior has utilized basic research from the Max Planck Society to advance its proprietary technology and pipeline. Novo Nordisk has agreed to acquire Cardior Pharmaceuticals for up to 1.025 billion Euros, including an upfront payment and additional payments if certain development and commercial milestones are achieved. Cardior is a leader in the discovery and development of therapies that target RNA (Ribonucleic acid) as a means to prevent, repair and reverse diseases of the heart. The company's therapeutic approach targets distinctive non-coding RNAs as a platform for addressing root causes of cardiac dysfunctions with an aim to achieve lasting patient impact. The agreement includes Cardior's lead compound CDR132L, which is based on initial research from the Medical School Hannover (MHH) in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for biophysical chemistry in Göttingen (now Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences), amongst others. It is currently in phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of heart failure. Cardior's lead candidate CDR132L has a distinctive mode of action and potential to become a first-in-class therapy designed to halt or partially reverse the course of disease for people living with heart failure.