The frequency of administration of weight-loss drugs may be reduced

The Danish pharmaceutical company Novo (formerly Novo Nordisk) has signed an agreement worth €1.165 billion with the biotechnology company Nanexa. The partnership aims to incorporate the Swedish PharmaShell technology into the production of drugs for treating type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiometabolic disorders. Utilizing this technology will allow for longer intervals between injections, meaning patients would administer the medication once every 1–3 months rather than weekly.

"We are delighted and proud to have entered into this licensing agreement with Novo; we look forward to working together on the successful development of less frequently administered therapies for obesity and type 2 diabetes. This agreement follows the license and option agreement concluded with Moderna in 2025," - serves as further confirmation of the recognition of the PharmaShell® platform as a versatile drug delivery solution. We are convinced that this creates a solid foundation for expanding the application of PharmaShell® to other therapeutic areas and enables us to selectively advance additional proprietary programs to the stage of clinical proof-of-concept, thereby maximizing the value derived from the broad capabilities of the PharmaShell® platform," stated David Westberg, CEO of Nanexa.

The essence of the PharmaShell technology lies in using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to create an ultra-thin silicon coating on particles of the active substance. This "packaging" ensures a sustained-release effect: the drug is released gradually as the coating breaks down within the tissues. This prevents a sudden surge of the drug into the bloodstream, which is crucial for minimizing side effects (such as nausea) associated with GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic or Semavik.

The essence of the PharmaShell technology lies in using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to create an ultra-thin silicon coating on particles of the active substance. This "packaging" ensures a sustained-release effect: the drug is released gradually as the coating breaks down within the tissues. This prevents a sudden surge of the drug into the bloodstream, which is crucial for minimizing side effects (such as nausea) associated with GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic or Semavik.

This haste is driven by the fact that patents for the company’s flagship product, semaglutide, are set to expire in the 2030s. Competition in the long-acting drug segment is intensifying, and Novo faces formidable rivals in this race. Eli Lilly is also actively pursuing this area: the company has licensed Camurus’s FluidCrystal technology—which extends the duration of injections by forming a subcutaneous gel depot—while Pfizer invested $10 billion to acquire Metsera and gain access to berobenatide. Although berobenatide shows promising weight-loss results, Novo experts note that it is not yet ideal: it is more difficult to administer and still lags behind current market leaders in terms of efficacy.

Nevertheless, the race for a "monthly format" remains a key trend shaping the future of the anti-obesity drug industry.