Novo Nordisk to work with Combine on autoimmune research

Novo Nordisk has announced its plans to work alongside Combine to conduct research into autoimmune disease therapies.

As part of the collaboration, Novo Nordisk will work with scientists from Combine’s six universities in order to gain a better insight into the immune system responses of patients suffering from conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

The agreement will see Combine members get the opportunity to test Novo Nordisk’s preclinical development compounds in patient tissue samples.

Furthermore, blood samples from autoimmune disease patients being treated with conventional therapies will be analysed for specific biomarkers.

Terje Kalland, head of Novo Nordisk’s biopharmaceuticals research unit, commented: “We see this as a unique and innovative way of working with the academic community to help find better ways of treating patients suffering from severe inflammatory diseases.”

In other Novo Nordisk news, the firm revealed last week that formal feedback from the Food and Drug Administration regarding its once-daily human Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 analogue liraglutide is expected later this month.