Date: 2014-01-20
Type of information: Development agreement
Compound: ZP2929 and other dual-acting glucagon and GLP-1 receptor agonists
Company: Zealand Pharma (Denmark) Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany)
Therapeutic area: Metabolic diseases
Type agreement: collaboration
licensing
development
commercialisation
Action mechanism: dual-acting glucagon and GLP-1 receptor agonists
Disease: type 2 diabetes obesity
Details: * On June 16, 2011, Zealand Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim have announced an exclusive global licence and collaboration agreement for dual-acting glucagon and GLP-1 receptor agonists for the treatment of patients with Type-2 diabetes and patients with obesity. As part of the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim obtains global development and commercialisation rights to ZP2929, Zealand Pharma’s lead glucagon/GLP-1 dual agonist drug candidate. Zealand Pharma will be responsible for conducting the first Phase I study with ZP2929 and Boehringer Ingelheim will fund the research, development and commercialisation of products under the agreement. Depending on the achievement of pre-defined development, regulatory and commercial milestones, Zealand Pharma is eligible to receive payments for ZP2929 and may also receive additional milestone payments if other products covered by the collaboration are advanced through development. Further, Zealand Pharma is entitled to tiered royalties that range from high single to low double digits on global sales of products under the agreement. Zealand Pharma retains co-promotion rights in Scandinavia.
Financial terms: During the first two years of collaboration, Zealand Pharma is eligible to receive signature, milestone, and other payments of up to €41 million including cost reimbursements and including research funding of up to €4 million. In their research collaboration, Zealand Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim will focus on the characterization, identification and development of additional glucagon/GLP-1 dual agonists for the exploration of new indications, formulations and delivery systems. Zealand Pharma is also eligible to receive total projected milestone payments of up to €376 million for ZP2929
Latest news: * On January 20, 2014, Zealand Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim have decided to change the development program involving novel glucagon/GLP-1 dual agonists for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and/or obesity with the selection of a new lead compound that will replace ZP2929 under the collaboration between the two companies. The financial terms agreed previously for ZP2929 will now apply to a new lead program.Zealand Pharma will continue the development of ZP2929, which is in Phase I development, independently of Boehringer Ingelheim. Zealand has, throughout the collaboration, been responsible for the conduct of the first Phase I activities of ZP2929, and will now immediately take full control of the further development of this novel drug candidate. Zealand will update the market before the end of the 1st quarter of 2014 on expected next-stage clinical development timelines for ZP2929.
The collaboration between Zealand and Boehringer Ingelheim will continue with a new lead candidate to be selected from the portfolio of novel glucagon/GLP-1 dual agonists and compound designs invented under the two-year research part of the collaboration, including compounds designed for once-weekly dosing.
Commenting on this announcement, David Solomon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Zealand Pharma, said: “Our collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim has been fruitful, and we both continue to share excitement and strong commitment as to the potential of dual-acting glucagon/GLP-1 agonists as a unique and promising new approach to delivering better healthcare solutions to patients with diabetes and/or obesity. However, on ZP2929 we have differed in our views regarding the appropriate way forward in the development of this drug candidate. As a consequence, we have agreed with Boehringer Ingelheim that Zealand will retain the full control over the program, leaving us the opportunity to apply our unique peptide drug capabilities to its continuation. In parallel, under the collaboration, we will continue to work closely with Boehringer Ingelheim in the selection of a new lead candidate as well as on the development plan for this compound going forward.”
