1300 GMT - Novo Nordisk's minor deal to acquire Akero Therapeutics makes strategic, therapeutic and commercial sense, but Deutsche Bank still views it as mixed. The deal gives Novo Nordisk access to Akero's FGF21 treatment for MASH, a liver disease correlated with obesity and diabetes. Deutsche Bank says Novo Nordisk has labored for years with its own FGF21 asset and, following recent discontinuation, appears to have accepted it needs to go outside the company. This doesn't reflect especially well on internal research and development, it adds. In addition, while small, the deal still represents M&A at a healthy premium, and Novo looks a little late to the party after similar recent deals from GSK/Roche mean the space is relatively crowded, analyst Emmanuel Papadakis writes. Shares fall 0.4%. (dominic.chopping@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 10, 2025 09:03 ET (13:03 GMT)

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