Oct. 16 Quick Takes: Novo turns to Singapore’s KBP for hypertension asset

Europe’s largest pharma is adding another late-stage program to its cardiovascular pipeline via a deal worth up to $1.3 billion with Singapore’s KBP BioSciences Pte. Ltd. Novo Nordisk A/S (CSE:NOVO B; NYSE:NVO) is acquiring the non-steroidal mineralcorticoid receptor antagonist ocedurenone, which KBP has advanced into the Phase III CLARION-CKD trial to treat uncontrolled hypertension in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. 

The deal gives Novo its second cardiovascular-focused Phase III program. Novo’s ziltivekimab, a mAb targeting IL-6, is in the Phase III HERMES trial to treat heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and in the Phase III ZEUS cardiovascular outcomes trial. Novo said it anticipates starting additional Phase III trials for ocedurenone in other cardiovascular and renal indications...