Novo Nordisk quietly nabs a rare 'breakthrough' status in NASH for its cash cow
Earlier this month, the small French biotech Inventiva touted themselves as having won the first FDA breakthrough designation in NASH since Intercept grabbed the first one back in 2015, before the disease had become one of biotech’s hottest areas. Unbeknownst to them, though, a much larger European rival had already landed the status months prior.
Novo Nordisk, the Danish metabolic giant, disclosed in their Q3 report Friday that back in August, the FDA gave them breakthrough status for semaglutide, their blockbuster diabetes drug, in NASH, or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The designation sets Novo up as a leading contender in a new wave of companies developing treatments for a silent and widespread disease that, despite a series of setbacks, is still viewed by many as a huge potential market.
Unlock this article instantly by becoming a free subscriber.
You’ll get access to free articles each month, plus you can customize what newsletters get delivered to your inbox each week, including breaking news.
