About us

Zealand Pharma A/S was founded in 1998 and is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, design and development of innovative peptide-based medicines. We intend to be a leader in specialty medicines focusing on metabolic and gastrointestinal diseases and other rare disease areas with significant unmet medical needs. Zealand employs more than 200 people in Denmark and the US and has a portfolio of medicines and product candidates, including license collaborations with Boehringer Ingelheim.

Our pipeline focusing on gastrointestinal, metabolic and other specialty diseases where we believe that the present standard of care is inadequate and where we have the resources to advance our peptide-based product candidates into the later stages of clinical development, including registration and commercialization, while opportunistically considering partnership relationships that may arise.

In addition, we are looking to focus our efforts on drug candidates that may qualify for orphan/rare disease status. Our research and development, organization is structured to enable dynamic collaboration across various functions and project teams at each stage of discovery and development, allowing us to advance promising opportunities quickly and take advantage of our extensive knowledge of peptide design and product development.

We have a track record of successfully inventing and developing novel peptide-based product candidates. This success is based on our deep understanding of peptide chemistry and extensive experience in improving the therapeutic characteristics of naturally-occurring peptides by modifying and optimizing their structures. The modifications we make are designed to improve upon naturally occurring peptides so that their therapeutic benefit, duration of action, stability and/or convenience of use favorably compare to other treatment options.

Product pipeline

Our pipeline includes three product candidates in clinical development: glepaglutide, which is being developed to treat short bowel syndrome, or SBS; dasiglucagon formulated for use in a dual-hormone artificial pancreas system for better diabetes management; and dasiglucagon for use in the treatment of congenital hyperinsulinism.

Licensed product candidates

Boehringer Ingelheim

We have out licensed a peptide program to Boehringer Ingelheim that has been advanced into early clinical development: a once-weekly novel dual acting GLP-1/glucagon agonist for the treatment of obesity and/or Type 2 diabetes.

Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease

Zealand Pharma and Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease are collaborating on the discovery and development of novel peptide therapies for complement-mediated diseases. The lead program is a long-acting inhibitor of Complement C3, and the agreement entails possibility for up to three additional complement pathway targets.