Zealand Pharma’s petrelintide delivers double-digit weight loss in next-gen obesity treatment
By: IPP Bureau
Last updated : June 23, 2026 7:42 pm
The double-blind, dose-finding ZUPREME-1 trial enrolled 485 adults with overweight or obesity
Global pharma powerhouse Zealand Pharma has unveiled new Phase 2 data showing its investigational obesity drug petrelintide delivered double-digit weight loss after 42 weeks maintaining a favorable tolerability profile.
The findings showed participants receiving once-weekly injections of the amylin analog achieved weight reductions of up to 10.7% compared with 1.7% for placebo. Researchers also reported meaningful improvements in several cardiometabolic risk factors and low rates of treatment discontinuation.
The results come as Zealand Pharma and Roche prepare to advance petrelintide into Phase 3 development later this year following their obesity collaboration agreement.
“As we continue to advance the field of obesity medicine, expanding the therapeutic options beyond the current single class of treatments is critical. People living with overweight and obesity need treatments they can stay on long-term, that deliver meaningful weight loss and with a tolerability profile that supports adherence.
"These data highlight the potential of petrelintide to be just such a treatment – effective and well-tolerated with the potential to facilitate long-term obesity therapy”, said Prof. W. Timothy Garvey, Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
The double-blind, dose-finding ZUPREME-1 trial enrolled 485 adults with overweight or obesity. Participants were randomized in a 5:1 ratio to receive one of five weekly petrelintide doses or placebo.
The study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating statistically significant and clinically meaningful weight loss across all treatment arms at 28 weeks compared with placebo. Follow-up data at 42 weeks reinforced the durability of treatment effects.
Beyond weight reduction, petrelintide demonstrated encouraging effects on cardiovascular risk markers. Participants experienced reductions in waist circumference ranging from 7.9 cm to 10.8 cm, compared with 4.3 cm for placebo. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels fell by 17% to 41%, versus 6% with placebo, while triglycerides declined by 12% to 21%, compared with 9% for placebo.
“With real-world persistence on current therapies disappointingly low, we must address the challenges of treatment durability, tolerability and acceptability if we are to realize the long-term benefits and sustained improvements in health outcomes from the therapeutic management of overweight and obesity.
"The double-digit weight reduction seen after 42 weeks of petrelintide treatment, along with rates of adverse events generally at or below the rates observed with placebo, highlight the potential of this novel amylin agonist as a future first-choice therapy for chronic weight management,” said David Kendall, Chief Medical Officer of Zealand Pharma.