Novo Nordisk Strikes $812 Million Deal with Deep Apple Therapeutics to Strengthen Obesity Pipeline

The deal concerns a novel small-molecule programme targeting a non-incretin G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). It underscores the company's ambition to diversify its therapeutic arsenal beyond GLP-1-based treatments.

Deep Apple Therapeutics, backed by life sciences investment firm Apple Tree Partners, has secured $52 million in Series A financing to support its AI-driven drug discovery platform. The biotech focuses on building virtual libraries of small molecules to interrogate challenging biological targets. Notably, its current pipeline includes three obesity-related programmes, two of which explore non-GLP-1 receptors, although specific targets remain undisclosed.

GPCRs represent a cornerstone of modern pharmacology, involved in a vast range of physiological functions, including appetite regulation, metabolic control and cardiovascular health. While current front-runners in the obesity treatment space, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, target incretin pathways (GLP-1 and GIP), this new collaboration opens a path to explore alternative GPCR targets that could complement or surpass existing mechanisms of action.

The partnership involves a global licensing arrangement, with Novo Nordisk paying an undisclosed upfront fee and committing to research funding and milestone payments. Deep Apple will deploy its AI and cryo-electron microscopy platform to identify and optimise small-molecule compounds targeting the unnamed GPCR. Cryo-EM enables the visualisation of GPCRs in multiple conformational states, offering valuable insights into transient binding pockets and dynamic interactions that are difficult to capture using traditional crystallography.

This high-resolution approach is paired with Deep Apple’s proprietary in silico libraries, allowing for a more refined and targeted discovery of ligands that can effectively modulate complex receptors. Once lead compounds are identified and optimised, Novo Nordisk will take over development responsibilities just before the start of IND-enabling studies, ensuring a seamless transition to later-stage development.

The move reflects Novo’s broader strategy to rebound from recent setbacks and to remain competitive against industry rivals, particularly Eli Lilly, whose obesity candidate tirzepatide (marketed as Zepbound) has captured significant attention with robust clinical outcomes. Novo’s once-promising candidate CagriSema under-delivered in a phase 3 trial late last year, missing internal efficacy expectations. While still in development, its performance has cast doubts on its ability to dominate the next generation of obesity therapies.

In response, the Wegovy maker has embarked on a flurry of deal-making to shore up its pipeline. Recent transactions include a $50 million upfront investment in Variant Bio, a $190 million expansion of its collaboration with Valo Health, a commitment of up to $354 million per target with Gensaic, and preclinical bets on Septerna and Lexicon Pharmaceuticals worth $200 million and $75 million respectively. Additionally, it invested $200 million in a triple agonist programme from United Laboratories.

For pharmaceutical professionals, the significance of the Deep Apple deal lies in its strategic targeting of an underexploited GPCR space, combined with cutting-edge drug discovery techniques. As the market for anti-obesity therapies continues to evolve and expand, particularly with increasing global prevalence and payer interest, the ability to develop differentiated, efficacious and accessible treatments will define future leaders in this high-growth sector.

Novo Nordisk's investment in early-stage innovation, particularly in GPCR biology beyond incretin targets, highlights a recognition that the next wave of obesity therapeutics may not simply be better GLP-1 analogues but could involve altogether new biological mechanisms. As more data emerge from these programmes, industry stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether this calculated risk pays off and whether the Novo-Deep Apple alliance can indeed bear fruit.