Zealand Pharma Explores Direct-to-Consumer Sales for Novel Amylin-Based Obesity Drug Petrelintide
Key Insights
Zealand Pharma is considering a direct-to-patient sales model for its experimental obesity drug petrelintide, developed in partnership with Roche through a $5.3 billion collaboration deal.
The company expects mid-stage clinical trial results for petrelintide in the first half of 2026, with late-stage trials planned for the second half of the year.
Petrelintide is based on the amylin (search) hormone and has demonstrated fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared to existing GLP-1 (search) therapies in early clinical trials.
Zealand Pharma is exploring a direct-to-consumer sales strategy for its experimental obesity drug petrelintide, marking a strategic shift in how pharmaceutical companies approach the rapidly evolving weight-loss medication market. The Danish biotech company announced it is considering selling the drug directly to patients alongside traditional insurance channels, following market dynamics established by existing GLP-1 (search) therapies.
Strategic Partnership and Development Timeline
Zealand Pharma is developing petrelintide through an up to $5.3 billion collaboration with Roche, announced in March. The company expects results from its mid-stage clinical trial in the first half of 2026, with plans to initiate late-stage trials in the second half of the year.
CEO Adam Steensberg explained the rationale behind considering direct-to-consumer sales from the outset, citing lessons learned from the market evolution since Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly launched their GLP-1 (search) therapies from 2021 onwards. "We expect this (direct-to-consumer) market will continue to grow," Steensberg said in an interview with Reuters.
Market Evolution and Access Challenges
The direct-to-consumer approach has emerged as a response to significant patient access hurdles and challenges in securing broad insurance coverage in the U.S. market. Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly subsequently launched direct-to-consumer online platforms after initially struggling with traditional insurance channels for their respective therapies, Wegovy and Zepbound.
Steensberg noted that obesity drugs are particularly suited to this model due to their nature as chronic therapies requiring consumer-style engagement, "much like buying a product you use long-term."
Novel Mechanism and Safety Profile
Petrelintide represents a differentiated approach to obesity treatment, utilizing the amylin (search) hormone rather than the GLP-1 (search) pathway. This mechanism has demonstrated advantages in early clinical trials, showing less severe and frequent gastrointestinal side effects compared to existing GLP-1 injections.
The improved tolerability profile could provide a competitive advantage in the crowded obesity drug market, potentially addressing one of the key limitations that have affected patient adherence to current therapies.
Implementation Strategy
The proposed direct-to-consumer model would maintain prescription requirements, distinguishing it from over-the-counter medications. Steensberg clarified that the approach would utilize telehealth or virtual clinic platforms for delivery, mirroring the current distribution methods used by Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound.
This strategy aligns with broader industry trends, as several major pharmaceutical companies including Roche, Lilly, and Pfizer have expressed openness to selling medicines directly to patients or businesses rather than exclusively through insurance channels.