EraCal Therapeutics: Research Collaboration with Novo Nordisk

EraCal Therapeutics Ltd today announced that it has entered into a collaboration with Novo Nordisk A/S to find novel drug targets relevant for food intake regulation and additional metabolic phenotypes. Under the joint research plan, EraCal and Novo Nordisk will investigate novel molecules for their potential as anti-obesity pharmacotherapy. This will be done in zebrafish larvae, an emerging vertebrate drug discovery platform. This effort aims at providing insights into the signaling pathways of potential new targets underlying the control of metabolic health.

Central nervous system-controlled behavior such as food intake is notoriously difficult to explore in vitro. EraCals’ technology offers an alternative approach with a custom-built platform technology that measures complex phenotypes such as food intake at a large scale in an intact, living organism. As a consequence, in vivo bioavailability and toxicity are part of the initial screening phase, as is the counter-screening for undesirable CNS-side effects. Both are platform design features enabling the identification of more specific hit molecules in-vivo. EraCal’s peer-reviewed study in Science Advances showed the feasibility and translational validation of the phenotypic platform for formally approved drugs and new classes of small molecules.

“Novo Nordisk is distinguished for their know-how in peptide therapeutics, as well as their commitment to overcome the metabolic syndrome and improving patients’ lives,” said Josua Jordi, CEO of EraCal. “Combining EraCal’s phenotypic screening platform with Novo Nordisk's expertise within pharmaceutical peptides and metabolic diseases will contribute to the discovery of novel drug candidates for the treatment of obesity. We are excited to join forces with the world-leading pharmaceutical company in the cardiometabolic space and together lead innovation to transform the standard of care.”

Dr. Kirsten Raun, Scientific Vice President, Global Obesity and LD Research, Novo Nordisk A/S expresses her enthusiasm about this new collaboration, “The zebrafish platform offers a unique opportunity for unbiased, high-throughput phenotypic screening of human-relevant peptide and small molecule libraries stemming from our drug discovery efforts within obesity.”