Copenhagen – Danish pharmaceutical leader Novo Nordisk has reached an agreement to acquire the investigational drug Zaltenibart from the U.S.-based Omeros Corporation, a move that expands Novo’s pipeline into rare blood and kidney disorders.
The company announced Wednesday that the upfront payment amounts to USD 340 million (around DKK 2.2 billion), with potential future milestone payments raising the total deal value to nearly DKK 13.5 billion. Completion of the acquisition remains subject to regulatory approval and is expected before the end of 2025.
Zaltenibart is designed to address disorders involving abnormal activity in the complement immune system — a biological mechanism linked to serious inflammatory and renal diseases. The acquisition strengthens Novo’s ambition to diversify beyond its core diabetes and obesity markets, positioning the company more prominently in rare and immune-mediated disease research.
Novo Nordisk stated that the deal “reflects the company’s long-term strategy to advance therapies in areas of high unmet medical need.” Analysts view the transaction as a strategic hedge against overreliance on the firm’s GLP-1 drugs, including Wegovy and Ozempic, which dominate global obesity treatment but face growing supply and pricing pressure.
“Investors see this as a logical next step for Novo, using its strong cash flow to build a deeper late-stage pipeline in complex disease areas,” said Jeppe Christiansen, senior analyst at Danske Bank Markets. He noted that entering complement therapy could yield long-term returns if the drug proves effective across multiple indications.
Shares in Novo Nordisk remained stable on the Copenhagen exchange following the announcement, with some upward momentum expected if regulatory clearance proceeds smoothly. The acquisition also aligns with Novo’s recent series of targeted takeovers aimed at broadening its therapeutic reach within haematology, renal, and rare disease medicine.
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