Emisphere Signs Lucrative License Agreement With Novo Nordisk

Emisphere Technologies, Inc. recently announced it has entered into a Development and License Agreement with Novo Nordisk A/S to develop and commercialize oral formulations of four classes of Novo Nordisk’s investigational molecules targeting major metabolic disorders, including diabetes and obesity, using Emisphere’s oral Eligen Technology. Under the terms of the agreement, Emisphere licensed to Novo Nordisk the exclusive right to develop potential product candidates in three molecule classes, and the non-exclusive right to develop potential product candidates in a fourth molecule class, using the Eligen Technology.

The license provides Emisphere with a $5-million upfront licensing fee, and the opportunity to receive up to $62.5 million in development and sales milestone payments for each of the three exclusively licensed molecule classes, and up to $20 million in development milestone payments for the non-exclusively licensed molecule class. Additionally, Emisphere would receive royalties on sales of each successfully commercialized product. Novo Nordisk is solely responsible for the development and commercialization of all product candidates.

In addition, Emisphere granted Novo Nordisk the option to obtain exclusive and non-exclusive rights to develop and commercialize oral formulations of additional investigational molecules for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and indications in other important therapeutic areas using the Eligen Technology. If Novo Nordisk exercises its option to develop and commercialize any additional investigational molecules, Emisphere would be entitled to receive an additional payment upon the exercise of each option for exclusive or non-exclusive development rights for each molecule class. Emisphere would be eligible to receive up to $62.5 million in development and sales milestone payments for each additional exclusively licensed molecule class, and up to $20 million in development milestone payments for each additional non-exclusively licensed molecule class, plus royalties on sales of each commercialized product.

In conjunction with the signing of the new license agreement, Emisphere and Novo Nordisk also amended their existing GLP-1 (semaglutide) license agreement to provide for, among other things, a payment of $9 million to Emisphere from Novo Nordisk as prepayment of a product development milestone in exchange for a reduction in future royalty payments.

“We are delighted to have broadened our collaboration with Emisphere for access to their Eligen Technology under this new development and license agreement,” said Peter Kurtzhals, Senior Vice President for Global Research in Novo Nordisk.

“Novo Nordisk has been an important partner for many years, and this expanded partnership further validates the Eligen Technology and its ability to facilitate absorption from the gastrointestinal tract,” said Alan L. Rubino, Chief Executive Officer of Emisphere. “We have been intensely focused on transforming Emisphere into a robust commercial and development organization, seeking to identify and establish new, value-creating licensing opportunities for our Eligen Technology to major pharmaceutical companies, while realizing the significant market potential of our proprietary oral Eligen B12 product. This agreement with Novo Nordisk represents the first significant accomplishment in this ongoing, transformational effort and we look forward to future successes resulting from our global business development strategy.”

Emisphere’s broad-based drug delivery technology platform, known as the Eligen Technology, uses proprietary, synthetic chemical compounds, known as Emisphere delivery agents, or carriers. Emisphere’s Eligen Technology makes it possible to deliver a therapeutic molecule without altering its chemical form or biological integrity.

Emisphere is a specialty pharmaceutical company that has recently commenced commercial operations. The company launched its first prescription product, oral Eligen B12, in the US in March 2015. Beyond Eligen B12, the company utilizes its proprietary Eligen Technology to create new oral formulations of therapeutic agents. Emisphere is currently partnered with global pharmaceutical companies for the development of new orally delivered therapeutics. For more information, visit www.emisphere.com.