The Danish-founded biotech company Pila Pharma looks to secure a partnership or acquisition within the next few years. The short-term goal is to advance the development of a promising new drug candidate for the treatment of obesity and diabetes.
Pila Pharma, listed on the Nasdaq First North stock exchange in Stockholm, has set a clear strategy for the future: Within a few years, the company aims to be acquired by or partner with an industry player capable of furthering and realizing its research in obesity and other metabolic diseases using TRPV1 inhibitors. The goal is to ensure that Pila Pharma’s potential new weight-loss pill reaches the market as quickly as possible.
– We have a promising drug candidate with a completely different side effect profile compared to other treatments currently in development or on the market. Our ambition is to progress the candidate over the next few years and then hand it over to a larger player who can take it to the next level. The global market is in dire need of effective obesity treatments, particularly scalable pill-based solutions, and we believe we could have a role to play in this development, says CEO Gustav H. Gram, adding:
– Since our founders’ discovery in 1999 and the company’s founding in 2014, we have made significant progress and gathered data that suggests we are on the right track. The next major step is to establish proof of concept for weight loss. We are the only company working with this specific type of molecule—TRPV1 inhibitors—as a novel therapeutic approach to treating obesity and other metabolic diseases. If we succeed, I firmly believe we will emerge as a strong and attractive candidate for partnership or acquisition.
A Scalable Pill Solution with a Different Side Effect Profile
Pila Pharma was founded by former Novo Nordisk researcher Dorte X. Gram, who was the first researcher to identify the molecule that later became semaglutide—the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy.
During her tenure at Novo Nordisk, she also discovered— blocking the TRPV1 receptor— could be a potential new mechanism for treating metabolic diseases. With the rise of GLP-1 treatments, Pila Pharma is entering a highly competitive market where unique advantages will determine success.
– In our research and development efforts, we are focused on generating clinical data on the safety and efficacy of XEN-D0501 for treating obesity and related conditions such as diabetes. Patients, physicians, and the industry are all seeking effective weight-loss treatments without common side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If we can achieve this with an oral solution that can be scaled to meet market demand, we envision a future where more patients have better access to sustainable weight management options, says Dorte X. Gram. She elaborates:
– Approximately one-third of patients worldwide who use GLP-1 medications for severe obesity—such as Wegovy—discontinue treatment prematurely due to side effects, cost, and availability issues. If we can offer a scalable pill alternative based on small molecules, it will significantly improve accessibility and help patients adhere to their treatment plans.
A Major Opportunity for Pill-Based Obesity Treatments
Professor Jens Juul Holst from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen was among the first to discover the GLP-1 hormone in 1986, which plays a key role in stimulating insulin secretion from the pancreas. Today, GLP-1 receptor agonists are used to treat type 2 diabetes and severe obesity.
He sees significant potential for pill-based obesity treatments in certain markets.
– In some parts of the world, injection-based treatments pose a challenge, making a pill a far more attractive option. This is particularly true in Asian and African markets, where needle phobia is widespread, creating an enormous market opportunity. This factor is highly relevant to pharmaceutical companies, many of which avoid investing in injectable drugs due to economic considerations, says Jens Juul Holst.
He also predicts that pricing will play a decisive role in the future:
– With several new drugs on the horizon, if they deliver on their promises, small-molecule pills are poised to become a major success. One key reason is that they can be sold at a significantly lower price point compared to biologic drugs, which require more complex manufacturing, says Jens Juul Holst.
The core asset of Pila Pharma is its TRPV1 inhibitor, XEN-D0501 – an orally administered tablet currently in Phase 2 clinical development. At the end of 2024, the company announced its engagement with regulatory authorities to define the optimal approach for its next clinical trial in obesity and diabetes.
