Novo Nordisk will acquire Irish biotech Prothena's experimental anti-amyloid heart drug and broader amyloidosis program, the Danish drugmaker said July 12.
Under the deal, Prothena will receive up to $1.2 billion from Novo Nordisk. It will receive $100 million upfront and other development and sales milestone payments.
Prothena completed a phase 1 study of the heart drug, called PRX004. Novo Nordisk will focus on developing PRX004 for ATTR cardiomyopathy, an underdiagnosed and potentially fatal form of amyloidosis in which amyloid deposits build up in cardiac tissue.
The deal is Novo Nordisk's latest effort to strengthen its cardiovascular disease portfolio. In 2020, Novo Nordisk acquired AstraZeneca's cardio-renal spinout Corvidia Therapeutics for $2.1 billion.