Novo Nordisk has taken an interest in a weight-loss implant developed by Californian medtech Vivani Medical, reflecting a broadening of the drugmaker’s strategy to fend off market rivals.
Novo has signed an agreement with Vivani that will allow it to evaluate NPM-139, a long-lasting semaglutide drug implant in development for chronic weight management. NPM-139 is a miniature subdermal implant designed using Vivani’s NanoPortal technology, which delivers medication steadily over long periods of time. Semaglutide is marketed by Novo Nordisk as Wegovy and Ozempic in obesity and type 2 diabetes, respectively.
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Financial terms were not disclosed, though the two companies stated that there are no exclusivity provisions in the deal.
According to Vivani, its technology can help overcome tolerability issues and loss of efficacy, along with non-adherence issues such as patients forgetting to take their medication. Research suggests that many patients do not adhere to the once-weekly injection regimen for injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs).
Adam Mendelsohn, Vivani’s CEO, stated: “The new agreement announced today supporting our semaglutide implant programme in chronic weight management demonstrates Novo Nordisk’s interest in evaluating our technology and its lead semaglutide application. This agreement reinforces our confidence regarding the market opportunity for our GLP-1RA implants under development.
“We believe that our NanoPortal implants under development, including NPM-139, could address a growing segment of patients who would prefer a convenient once- or twice-yearly treatment option and the peace of mind that treatment could be stopped at any time if that became necessary.”
Separately, Vivani is planning to start a Phase I, first-in-human study evaluating the NPM-139 semaglutide implant in mid-2026, with Novo’s injectable Wegovy (semaglutide) set to be the active comparator. The study’s objectives are to characterise the safety, pharmacokinetics, and tolerability of NPM-139 to support the initiation of a Phase II dose-ranging study.
For Novo Nordisk, the pact with Vivani is another push to fend off increasing pressure from Eli Lilly. The US drugmaker’s tirzepatide franchise, under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound for type 2 diabetes and obesity, respectively, has surged over recent years to become the dominant GLP-1RA on the market. In Q1 2026, Mounjaro generated $8.7bn for the quarter, while Zepbound made $4.2bn. These values marked respective increases of 125% and 80% compared to the drugs’ sales in Q1 2025. This fuelled Lilly’s total revenue to $19.8bn, up 56% from the same period last year.
Novo is already seeing success in the oral GLP-1RA arena, where it beat Lilly to market the first pill approved for weight loss. In May 2026, the Danish big pharma company’s CEO Mike Doustdar touted a “record-breaking start” for the product, with performance only going from strength to strength since.
