Zealand Pharma begins mid-stage trial for obesity drug candidate in people with type 2 diabetes

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COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Danish biotechnology company Zealand Pharma said on Thursday it had enrolled the first patient in a mid-stage trial with its weight-loss drug candidate petrelintide in people with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Petrelintide belongs to a class of drugs known as the long-acting amylin analogues, which mimics a hormone called amylin that is co-secreted with insulin in response to ingested nutrients.

The company said in a statement that completion of enrolment of around 200 participants in its so-called Phase 2b ZUPREME-1 trial is expected in the second half of this year.

Zealand in December 2024 began the mid-stage trial with petrelintide in people with overweight or obesity and without type 2 diabetes.

The company in March entered a collaboration deal with Roche whereby the Swiss drugmaker acquired the rights to petrelintide.

Under the accord, Zealand will receive $1.65 billion upfront with the possibility of milestone payments taking the total sum to $5.3 billion, depending mainly on late-stage trials and sales development, Roche said at the time.

The two companies will jointly commercialise petrelintide in the United States and Europe, while Roche will obtain exclusive commercialisation rights in the rest of the world.

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter.

(Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, editing by Terje Solsvik)