Zealand Pharma has appointed Utpal Singh as Chief Scientific Officer to lead its discovery research and translational sciences efforts, the company announced on April 23, 2025. The appointment comes at a pivotal moment as the Danish biotechnology firm positions itself to become a leader in the management of obesity and related complications through peptide-based medicines.
Singh brings nearly 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience to Zealand Pharma. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Small Molecule Discovery at Eli Lilly and Company, where he led the transformation of the discovery engine by building new capabilities and strategic partnerships to advance a focused portfolio.
"We are committed to expanding our world-leading peptide discovery engine to support the next wave of innovation at Zealand – and Utpal's appointment further strengthens our foundation for growth," said Adam Steensberg, Chief Executive Officer of Zealand Pharma. "His leadership in design and discovery of life-changing medicines will be instrumental in our mission to develop enduring therapies for patients."
Strategic Focus on Obesity and Computational Science
In his new role, Singh will lead the discovery and clinical translation of peptide medicines, with a particular emphasis on investing in new technologies including data and computational science. This technological approach aligns with Zealand's strategic focus on developing treatments for obesity and related complications.
"The recent advances in data science and machine learning integrated with Zealand Pharma's exceptional peptide discovery and translational expertise can create a powerful engine for drug discovery," Singh stated. "Our ambitions are backed by the deep expertise and financial capital needed to drive transformative ideas that address critical patient needs. It's a great time to invest in discovery research, and I'm eager to collaborate with this world-class team to develop medicines that could reshape the future of obesity and more."
Building on a Strong Foundation
Zealand Pharma has established itself as a significant player in peptide-based medicine development. The company has advanced more than 10 drug candidates into clinical development, with two reaching the market and three candidates currently in late-stage development.
Singh's appointment is expected to accelerate Zealand's innovation pipeline and expand the global scientific team to drive the company's next wave of highly differentiated, innovative therapies. This builds upon Zealand's strong drug development heritage since its founding in 1998.
Extensive Industry Experience
Singh began his pharmaceutical career in 2001 with Merck & Co after completing a postdoctoral fellowship in organic chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His educational background includes a PhD in chemical engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and a BS in chemical engineering from Purdue University.
At Eli Lilly, Singh's team contributed to the discovery of numerous clinical candidates across multiple therapeutic areas, demonstrating his capability to lead successful drug discovery programs.
Zealand's Position in the Peptide Therapeutics Landscape
Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a team in the United States, Zealand Pharma (Nasdaq Copenhagen: ZEAL) focuses specifically on the discovery and development of peptide-based medicines. The company maintains development partnerships with several pharmaceutical companies and has established commercial partnerships for its marketed products.
The peptide therapeutics market has gained significant attention in recent years, particularly for metabolic conditions like obesity and diabetes, where Zealand has concentrated much of its research efforts. Peptide-based drugs offer several advantages, including high specificity, reduced toxicity, and the ability to target previously "undruggable" interactions.
As obesity continues to be a global health challenge with significant comorbidities, Zealand's strategic focus on this area represents an important opportunity to address a critical unmet medical need through innovative peptide therapeutics.
