Investor Presentaiton
Novo Nordisk Annual Report 2023
CARDIOVASCULAR & EMERGING THERAPY AREAS
Expanding our footprint in
cardiovascular disease
Introducing Novo Nordisk Strategic Aspirations
Risks
Management
Consolidated statements
Additional information
26
RARE DISEASE
Next-generation treatments.
for rare blood disorders.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents one
of the greatest health challenges of our time.
Affecting an estimated 620 million people across
the globe, it takes a major toll on quality of life
and is currently the leading cause of death
worldwide.
At Novo Nordisk, we are determined to reduce
the risk and burden of living with CVD, and over
the past year we have taken significant steps
to increase our footprint in this area of huge
unmet need.
In October 2023, we strengthened our CVD
pipeline with the acquisition of ocedurenone in
a deal worth up to USD 1.3 billion. This mature
clinical candidate targets uncontrolled
hypertension - a leading risk factor for
cardiovascular events, heart failure, chronic
kidney disease (CKD) and premature death.
To date, ocedurenone has been investigated in
nine clinical trials, and is currently in phase 3
development for the treatment of uncontrolled
hypertension in people with CKD. We expect to
initiate further phase 3 trials in the coming years
as we seek to maximise its full potential.
Meanwhile, our first standalone CVD compound,
ziltivekimab, is currently in phase 3 development
for the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular
disease in people living with CKD. The ZEUS trial
will include more than 6,000 patients in 38
countries, with completion expected in late-2025.
Our Rare Disease unit - comprising treatments
for rare blood and endocrine disorders - has a
growing pipeline of exciting products, including two
potential medicines for rare blood disorders with
large unmet medical needs.
Mim8, our next-generation bispecific antibody for
haemophilia A, is now in phase 3 development.
Administered subcutaneously, it works by
mimicking the function of the missing clotting
factor VIII and is being tested as a treatment to
prevent bleeds.
The experimental once-daily oral medicine
etavopivat, also in phase 3 evaluation, offers
potential benefits for people with sickle cell disease
(SCD), a crippling and life-threatening condition
caused by misshapen red blood cells. Acquired as
part of the business development deal that brought
US-based Forma Therapeutics in-house in 2022,
the investigational therapy is designed to modulate
red blood cell health to reduce anaemia, pain,
transfusions and strokes in people living with SCD.
Masahiro Umehara (left)
lives with haemophilia A in
Tokyo, Japan. Pictured here
with his son Masatsugu
and his dog.View entire presentation