Vivani Medical, Okava expand collaboration to develop OKV-119 for dogs

Vivani Medical (VANI) and Okava Pharmaceuticals announced an expansion of their collaboration to include dogs in the development of OKV-119, a long-acting GLP-1 therapy for weight management, diabetes and other cardiometabolic conditions. Vivani and Okava initiated their collaboration in 2019, with a focus on developing OKV-119 for cardiometabolic conditions in cats. OKV-119 leverages Vivani’s proprietary NanoPortal technology, which provides smooth and steady delivery of therapeutic molecules, including GLP-1 receptor agonists, over extended periods from a single implant. According to Okava, dosing every six months or longer supports a “One-and-Done” approach between office visits consistent with the product profile of Vivani’s NPM-115, an ultra long-acting GLP-1 implant in clinical stage development to improve medication adherence and tolerability for the treatment of chronic weight management in humans.