Zealand Pharma Seeks Rare Disease Partners to Fund Growth

Zealand Pharma is seeking pharmaceutical partnerships for its rare disease assets as it shifts investment towards obesity drug development. This creates a new balance between its established therapeutic programs and growth ambitions.

The Danish biotechnology company has resumed discussions with potential partners for glepaglutide and is also exploring opportunities for dasiglucagon.

The strategy could help Zealand Pharma maintain progress across its rare disease drugs while directing greater resources towards obesity and metabolic health.

Rather than abandoning its rare disease portfolio, the company is exploring how external partnerships could support continued development, share financial commitments and preserve its broader biotech pipeline.

Zealand Pharma Restarts Glepaglutide Partnership Talks

Zealand Pharma has reopened partnership discussions for glepaglutide, its treatment for short bowel syndrome, a rare condition that limits nutrient and fluid absorption and can leave patients dependent on intravenous nutrition.

The renewed talks follow a positive European regulatory recommendation in September 2026. The company expects a final EU marketing decision in the fourth quarter, while another Phase 3 trial supports a fresh US regulatory application after the FDA rejected the previous submission in December 2024.

CFO Henriette Wennicke told Reuters that Zealand prefers a global partner but remains open to other arrangements.

Key developments include:

• European approval: Zealand expects an EU decision on Zeydovio, the proposed brand name for glepaglutide, in Q4 2026.
• US development: An additional Phase 3 trial aims to support a new regulatory application.
• Partnership flexibility: Zealand has no fixed agreement timeline and can continue developing glepaglutide independently.

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Obesity Pipeline Drives Zealand Pharma's Partnership Strategy

Zealand Pharma is also exploring pharmaceutical partnerships for dasiglucagon, a treatment for a rare disorder that causes dangerously low blood sugar. The company expects to resubmit the drug in the US during Q4 2026.

Meanwhile, obesity drug development increasingly shapes its investment priorities. Zealand continues advancing its metabolic health portfolio through collaborations with established pharmaceutical companies.

• Petrelintide: Zealand develops the obesity candidate with Roche.
• Survodutide: The company advances this program with Boehringer Ingelheim.

These collaborations offer Zealand opportunities to pursue obesity treatments while seeking external support for rare disease assets. Its partnership strategy therefore reflects an effort to maintain therapeutic breadth without diverting excessive resources from its expanding obesity pipeline.