Novo Nordisk Submits New IND for Oral Semaglutide to Enhance Bioavailability

▎Armstrong

On October 15, 2024, Novo Nordisk registered a Phase I clinical trial for the oral formulation of semaglutide on the Clinicaltrials.gov website.

This clinical trial will test the oral formulation of semaglutide over 4 weeks, with an estimated duration of 28 weeks, primarily to assess the in vivo absorption of each tablet.

In the first half of 2024, the sales of Rybelsus, the oral version of semaglutide for glycemic control, reached 10.931 billion Danish kroner, equivalent to 1.598 billion US dollars, representing a year-on-year increase of 32%.

Summary

Currently, Rybelsus uses SNAC technology, but its bioavailability remains relatively low, leading to high costs and certain limitations in production capacity. Against this backdrop, Novo Nordisk is motivated to further explore the optimization of oral formulations to improve bioavailability.