Novo Nordisk, Kakao expand digital health pact into obesity in Korea

With obesity drug uptake accelerating in Korea, Novo Nordisk Korea and Kakao Healthcare are widening their alliance to embed digital patient support directly into Kakao’s health platform.

The companies said Wednesday the move extends a 2023 partnership that had focused on diabetes. 

Their new agreement will integrate Novo Nordisk’s Novo Fit Care program for obesity drug users into Kakao’s PASTA app, an AI-driven health management platform that tracks treatment and lifestyle data, giving patients long-term weight monitoring and digital coaching. They also plan to develop new tools to raise awareness and improve management in diabetes.

For Novo Nordisk, the deal represents another push to surround its obesity medicines with wraparound services, as local physicians continue to debate safety, long-term use and affordability. 

Kakao, meanwhile, gains a foothold in one of the fastest-growing therapeutic areas, where demand has quickly outstripped policy and reimbursement frameworks.

The companies first teamed up in 2023, linking Kakao’s digital health app with Novo Nordisk’s Mallya insulin cap to allow real-time dosing data capture. Novo Nordisk has positioned Mallya as a bridge between conventional injection pens and digital monitoring.