Roche expands obesity pipeline, paying Zealand Pharma $1.65B upfront to codevelop amylin asset

Roche and Zealand Pharma entered a collaboration and license agreement to develop petrelintide, Zealand's amylin analog drug for obesity treatment14.
Roche will pay Zealand $1.65 billion upfront, including $1.4 billion at closing and $250 million over the first two years14.
The total deal value could reach up to $5.3 billion with additional milestone payments14.
The companies will co-develop and co-commercialize petrelintide in the US and Europe, with Roche having exclusive rights in other markets45.
Petrelintide will be developed as both a monotherapy and in combination with Roche's GLP-1/GIP dual agonist CT-38845.
Profits and losses will be shared 50/50 in the US and Europe, with Zealand receiving royalties on sales in other markets45.
The deal aims to establish petrelintide as a "foundational therapy" for weight management14.
This expands Roche's presence in the growing obesity drug market, competing with companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly89.

Sources:

1. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/12/3041113/0/en/Zealand-Pharma-and-Roche-enter-collaboration-and-license-agreement-to-co-develop-and-co-commercialize-petrelintide-as-a-future-foundational-therapy-for-people-with-overweight-and-o.html

4. https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/roche-zealand-license-obesity-drug-amylin-petrelinitide/742278/

5. https://www.genengnews.com/topics/drug-discovery/roche-zealand-launch-up-to-5-3b-obesity-collaboration/

8. https://medcitynews.com/2025/03/roche-zealand-pharma-amylin-petrelintide-obesity-weight-loss-zeal-rhhby/

9. https://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-aktien/zealand-pharma-a-s.htm