License and development partnerships

In Zealand, most of our preclinical activities and all drug candidates on our pipeline target large disease indications; diabetes and other related metabolic disorders as well as gastro-intestinal and cardiovascular disorders. To mitigate pipeline risk and maximize the value potential for our drug candidates, it is our strategy to engage in license partnerships – typically after clinical Proof-of-Concept (Phase IIa) studies – with large pharma companies that possesses relevant clinical and commercial experience and expertise.

As a consequence of our competences in the diabetes and metabolic field and our focused partnering strategy, today Zealand has major partnerships with two of the world’s leading diabetes companies: Sanofi (formerly Sanofi-Aventis) and Boehringer Ingelheim – thus holding a unique position in one of the biggest and fastest growing pharmaceutical markets in the world.

Further, we have a license partnership with Helsinn Healthcare, covering one of the gastro-intestinal drug candidates in our pipeline.