KUALA LUMPUR: Vivani Medical Inc (Vivani), a biopharmaceutical company developing ultra long-acting drug implants, has signed an agreement with Novo Nordisk to evaluate its semaglutide drug implant, NPM-139, for chronic weight management.
NPM-139 utilises Vivani’s NanoPortal platform technology and is currently under development. The agreement does not include exclusivity provisions covering NPM-139 or Vivani’s proprietary NanoPortal technology.
Vivani President and Chief Executive Officer, Adam Mendelsohn, said the agreement reinforced the company’s confidence in the market opportunity for its glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) implants under development.
“We believe that our NanoPortal implants under development, including NPM-139, could address a growing segment of patients who would prefer a convenient once- or twice-yearly treatment option and the peace of mind that treatment could be stopped at any time if that became necessary,” he said in a statement.
Separately, Vivani expects to initiate a Phase 1 randomised, first-in-human study of the NPM-139 semaglutide implant in mid-2026, using Wegovy injections as an active comparator.
The study aims to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and tolerability of NPM-139 to support the initiation of a Phase 2 dose-ranging study, subject to successful Phase 1 results.
Vivani is developing a portfolio of GLP-1-based implants for metabolic diseases. The NanoPortal implants are designed to reduce the need for frequent oral or injectable dosing by offering long-acting treatment options. – BERNAMA
