Ozempic Challenger Advances
Danish Zealand Pharma is recruiting for a Phase 2 study of its drug candidate, Petrelintide, a potential competitor to the best-selling Ozempic. At the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, CEO Adam Steensberg talked about the drug and the company’s innovative approach to tackling obesity.
Zealand Pharma specializes in the discovery and development of peptide*-based medicines.
“Our ambition is to become a key player in the evolving obesity market,” Steensberg said during his presentation at JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco.
Central to Zealand Pharma’s efforts is Petrelintide, which Steensberg describes as the “crown jewel” of the company’s development pipeline. Unlike GLP-1-based** treatments, which dominate the current market, Petrelintide combines appetite suppression with increased energy expenditure.
“This is about more than just weight loss,” Steensberg emphasized. “It’s about delivering healthy, sustainable results for patients.”
Zealand Pharma is currently recruiting participants for a Phase 2B study of Petrelintide, which is expected to conclude this year.
Petrelintide could be a competitor to Ozempic, while it, according to the company, has fewer side effects. Developed by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, Ozempic was initially designed for treating type 2 diabetes. However, it became extremely popular when patients noted considerable weight loss as a side effect, helping Novo Nordisk grow into one of the largest pharmaceutical companies globally.
Zealand Pharma’s approach challenges the industry’s traditional focus on maximizing weight loss, according to Steensberg.
“The goal isn’t to achieve the highest weight loss but to provide healthy, sustainable outcomes; most patients aim for a 15–20% weight loss—a level achievable through therapies like Petrelintide.”
Steensberg also highlighted the importance of minimizing side effects to encourage long-term adherence.
“We know that if patients drop out of treatment, they risk regaining the weight—and often more. This is why offering tolerable, effective solutions is critical,” he said.
In addition to discussing Petrelintide, Steensberg addressed the broader implications of the obesity epidemic.
“Obesity is linked to over 220 diseases and contributes to 5 million excess deaths annually,” he noted. “It’s not just about whether someone is obese. It’s about how long they’ve lived with obesity, which drives organ damage and disease prevalence.”
Founded in 1998, Zealand Pharma has advanced ten drug candidates into clinical development, two of which have reached the market, and three are currently in late-stage development. Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, the company also maintains a strong presence in the U.S.
*Peptides are tiny chains of building blocks called amino acids. They are smaller than proteins and help the body with many important jobs, like controlling blood sugar (insulin), healing skin, or fighting germs. Peptides are also used in medicines, skincare, and health supplements.
**A hormone naturally produced in the body, primarily in the gut, that plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels and appetite.