Replicate Bioscience secures major partnership with Novo Nordisk for self-replicating RNA therapeutics
San Diego biotech company Replicate Bioscience has entered into a multi-year research collaboration with pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk to develop self-replicating RNA (srRNA) therapeutics targeting obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other cardiometabolic conditions. The partnership combines Replicate’s proprietary srRNA platform technology with Novo Nordisk’s expertise in metabolic disease to create a new class of therapeutic candidates.
Financial structure and licensing terms
Under the agreement, Replicate will receive research funding and is eligible for milestone payments totalling up to US$550 million, which includes an upfront cash payment. The clinical-stage company will also receive tiered royalties on future product sales. Novo Nordisk has secured a defined exclusive, worldwide licence to develop and commercialise lead programmes using Replicate’s srRNA platform for specific cardiometabolic disease targets.
Technology platform and therapeutic approach
Replicate’s srRNA technology enables patients’ cells to generate therapeutic proteins endogenously through self-amplifying RNA vectors. The platform has demonstrated superior protein expression characteristics compared with conventional mRNA approaches, showing enhanced durability and tunability in vivo. The company’s proprietary vector library allows customisation of protein expression profiles, addressing limitations associated with traditional mRNA therapeutics.
“We founded Replicate to overcome the limitations of conventional mRNA,” said Nathaniel Wang, PhD, co-founder and chief executive officer of Replicate Bioscience. “This collaboration reinforces the transformative potential of Replicate’s science and expedites our innovative pipeline of prophylactic vaccines and srRNA-powered therapeutic proteins.”
Clinical pipeline and development status
Beyond the Novo Nordisk partnership, Replicate is advancing multiple therapeutic programmes. The company’s most advanced therapeutic protein candidate targets interleukin-1 receptor agonist and IL18 binding protein, designed to provide dual blockade of cytokines downstream of inflammasome activation. This approach addresses inflammatory conditions including chronic inflammatory bowel disease, gout, and recurrent pericarditis. Additionally, Replicate’s clinical-stage srRNA rabies vaccine, RBI-4000, has demonstrated protective immunity levels at lower doses than previously reported RNA-based vaccines in phase 1 trials.
“Novo Nordisk is continuously looking to build on its leading position in cardiometabolic diseases,” said Karina Thorn, corporate vice president of nucleic acid research at Novo Nordisk. “We are excited about this partnership with Replicate, as it allows us to create a new avenue for development of novel, impactful therapies.”
For more information, visit: www.replicatebioscience.com
