Zealand and Boehringer link up to advance novel peptide medicines

Denmark’s Zealand Pharma (Nasdaq OMX: ZEAL) has entered into a new global exclusive licence and R&D collaboration with German family-owned pharma major Boehringer Ingelheim.

The collaboration covers a novel therapeutic peptide project from Zealand’s portfolio of preclinical programs. The aim is to develop novel medicines for improved treatment of patients with cardio-metabolic diseases. The target is undisclosed.

Dependent on the achievement of pre-defined development milestones, with the first at initiation of preclinical development, as well as regulatory and commercial milestones, Zealand is eligible to receive potential payments of up to 295 million euros ($396.3 million) for the first compound developed and marketed under the collaboration. Zealand will be eligible to receive additional milestones for other compounds advanced. Furthermore, Zealand is entitled to research funding plus tiered royalties on global sales of products stemming from the collaboration. Zealand retains co-commercialization rights in Scandinavia.