Nanexa develops depot formulation of the diabetes and obesity drug Saxenda

Liraglutide is the predecessor of the much talked about diabetes and weight loss pharmaceutical semaglutide, which is branded as Wegovy when used to treat obesity. Unlike semaglutide, which is administered once a week, liraglutide must be injected daily. When used to treat diabetes, liraglutide´s brand name is Victoza, and when used to treat obesity, the brand name is Saxenda.

Nanexa is now developing a new formulation of liraglutide called NEX-22, which will only need to be administered once a month.

“The NEX-22 project is very exciting, and it undoubtedly meets a great medical need to make it easier for patients to avoid frequent injections of their medication. A one-month depot formulation is in many ways ideal for patients with diabetes or obesity, and it also simplifies things for healthcare providers and pharmacies,” says Bengt Gustavsson, Director of Clinical Research and Medical Affairs at Nanexa, in a press release.

Nanexa has signed an agreement with the German contract research company Profil, which specialises in diabetes and obesity, to conduct a phase 1 study with the new depot formulation.

Nanexa is located in Uppsala, Sweden, and is based on the Atomic Layer Deposition technology for developing long-acting injectable drugs. The company develops its own products, as well as products developed in collaboration with major pharmaceutical companies, including Novo Nordisk and AstraZeneca.