Moderna, Nanexa Sign Deal to Develop Long-Acting Injectable Medicines

Nanexa AB has entered into a new license and option agreement with Moderna Inc., marking a significant expansion of its long-acting injectable drug-delivery partnerships. The deal grants Moderna access to Nanexa’s proprietary PharmaShell® technology for one initial compound, with the option to extend the collaboration to as many as four additional compounds. The agreement highlights growing industry interest in advanced delivery systems that can improve the performance and convenience of next-generation therapeutics, including mRNA-based medicines.

Under the terms of the agreement, Nanexa will receive an upfront payment of USD 3 million. Should Moderna choose to exercise its rights to additional compounds following preclinical evaluation, each option would trigger a pre-negotiated license. In total, the collaboration could be worth up to USD 500 million in development and commercial milestone payments. Nanexa is also eligible to earn tiered single-digit royalties on any future product sales resulting from the partnership.

For Nanexa, a Swedish company focused on long-acting injectable (LAI) drug delivery solutions, the collaboration marks one of its most high-profile industry engagements to date. Its CEO, David Westberg, said the agreement reflects growing recognition of the company’s technological capabilities. “We are excited to partner with Moderna, a pioneer and leader in the field of mRNA medicines, to explore the potential of our PharmaShell® platform and to support the development of improved products for Moderna,” Westberg said. He noted that the partnership underscores PharmaShell’s versatility and its potential to solve key challenges in advanced biologic drug delivery.

PharmaShell®, Nanexa’s flagship platform, is built on atomic layer deposition (ALD), a technology traditionally used in advanced material science. In the pharmaceutical setting, ALD allows for ultra-thin, uniform coatings that can precisely encapsulate active ingredients. This enables drug developers to fine-tune release profiles, improve stability, and optimize how medicines behave in the body. Such capabilities are particularly valuable in long-acting injectables, where consistent, predictable release is essential for efficacy, patient adherence, and safety.

Moderna, well known for its mRNA vaccine technologies, continues to expand its pipeline far beyond infectious disease. The partnership suggests that the company is exploring new delivery modalities for its growing portfolio of mRNA and non-mRNA therapeutics. Incorporating long-acting formulations could potentially reduce dosing frequency, improve patient experience, and expand therapeutic applications.

The partnership fits squarely within Nanexa’s hybrid business model, which blends internal drug-product development with technology licensing to major pharmaceutical companies. Previous collaborations have helped the company validate its approach and demonstrate the commercial relevance of its ALD-based delivery system. The agreement with Moderna is expected to further strengthen Nanexa’s position in the competitive field of controlled-release drug delivery.

While details of the compounds involved remain undisclosed, the deal signals momentum toward innovative treatments that combine cutting-edge biologics with advanced formulation technologies. Depending on the outcomes of ongoing preclinical evaluations, Moderna may expand the relationship to cover all five compounds covered by the option structure—potentially unlocking substantial future revenue streams for Nanexa.

With the growing emphasis on long-acting formulations across the pharmaceutical sector, the collaboration could pave the way for next-generation injectable therapies with improved durability and patient-centric dosing schedules.