Novo Nordisk and Aspect Biosystems are moving their collaboration on diabetes treatments into a new phase, deepening a partnership aimed at developing potentially curative cellular medicines.
The expanded agreement builds on work launched in 2023, when the two companies joined forces to develop advanced cell therapies designed to replace, repair or supplement damaged biological functions.
The latest phase reflects growing momentum in the collaboration and a shared ambition to accelerate disease-modifying therapies for people living with diabetes and other serious conditions.
Under the new terms, Aspect has acquired rights to Novo Nordisk’s stem cell-derived islet cell and hypoimmune cell engineering technologies. Aspect will take the lead on development, manufacturing and commercialisation, while Novo Nordisk retains defined options to expand its role in later-stage development and commercial activities.
Novo Nordisk will also make an additional equity investment in Aspect and provide research funding to advance the programmes. In return, the Danish pharmaceutical company will be eligible for milestone payments and royalties tied to future product sales.
“Novo Nordisk was founded on a commitment to improve the lives of people living with diabetes. That commitment is as strong now as it was 100 years ago, and we have a continued focus on bringing innovation to people living with type 1 diabetes through internal and external innovation efforts,” said Jacob Sten Petersen, Senior Vice President, Global Research, Novo Nordisk.
“Aspect brings tremendous expertise and capabilities in cellular medicines, and we are proud of our partnership with them to progress transformative cell therapies toward clinical development and potentially generating a functional cure for people living with diabetes.”
The agreement also brings together select Novo Nordisk cell therapy research, development and manufacturing capabilities from the United States and Denmark with Aspect’s Canada-anchored platform. The integration is expected to strengthen Aspect’s end-to-end capabilities while broadening access to specialised scientific and manufacturing talent.
“Our partnership with Novo Nordisk combines more than a century of their global leadership in the fight against diabetes with Aspect’s leadership in cell therapy and our biotech speed and agility, creating a powerful force multiplier to deliver clinical impact,” said Tamer Mohamed, Founder and CEO, Aspect Biosystems.
"By integrating key technologies and capabilities, we are strengthening our full-stack platform, accelerating our path to curative cell therapies, and advancing our vision to build a generational biotechnology company that delivers global impact for people living with serious diseases.”
