COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 27, 2026
Zealand Pharma announced that new clinical data from its obesity and metabolic disease pipeline will be presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions 2026, taking place June 5–8 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The presentations will include late-breaking Phase 2 findings from the ZUPREME-1 trial evaluating petrelintide, the company’s investigational long-acting amylin analog being developed in collaboration with Roche. The data have been selected for inclusion in the ADA Official Press Program, highlighting growing industry and scientific interest in next-generation obesity therapies targeting metabolic pathways beyond GLP-1.
ZUPREME-1 Highlights Next-Generation Obesity Treatment
The Phase 2 ZUPREME-1 study evaluated once-weekly petrelintide in people living with obesity or overweight accompanied by weight-related comorbidities. The randomized, placebo-controlled multinational trial enrolled 493 participants across clinical sites in the United States, Poland, and Romania. Researchers assessed five different dose levels of petrelintide in combination with reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
The primary endpoint of the study measured percentage change in body weight at week 28, while secondary endpoints included longer-term weight reduction through week 42, waist circumference changes, fasting glucose, HbA1c, inflammatory markers, and lipid parameters. According to Zealand Pharma, the ADA presentations will focus on both the efficacy and safety profile of petrelintide, further expanding understanding of the drug’s potential role within the rapidly growing obesity treatment market.
One of the featured presentations includes an ePoster Theater late-breaking session titled “Petrelintide, a Human Amylin Analog for the Treatment of Obesity: Efficacy and Safety from the Phase 2 Trial, ZUPREME-1.” Additional poster sessions will explore petrelintide’s effects on gastric emptying and eating behavior compared with semaglutide in preclinical obesity models.
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Amylin-Based Therapies Gain Momentum in Metabolic Health
Amylin-based therapeutics are emerging as one of the most closely watched areas in obesity and metabolic disease research. Unlike GLP-1 therapies that primarily regulate appetite and insulin signaling, amylin analogs work through complementary satiety pathways that may improve weight management while potentially reducing gastrointestinal limitations associated with some existing obesity drugs.
Petrelintide is designed as a long-acting amylin analog suitable for once-weekly administration and engineered with improved chemical and physical stability. According to the company, the therapy avoids fibrillation around neutral pH, potentially enabling co-formulation and co-administration with additional peptide-based therapies in the future.
Human amylin is naturally co-secreted with insulin by pancreatic beta cells in response to food intake. Activation of amylin receptors has been shown to restore sensitivity to the satiety hormone leptin and increase feelings of fullness, supporting reductions in calorie intake and body weight. Researchers are increasingly exploring whether amylin-based therapies may complement or enhance current obesity treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists.
David Kendall, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Zealand Pharma, stated that the ADA Scientific Sessions represent one of the most important global forums for metabolic health innovation. He emphasized that the company looks forward to sharing additional obesity pipeline data as it continues advancing novel treatment options for people living with obesity and related metabolic diseases.
Zealand Pharma Expands Presence in Obesity Drug Development
Founded in 1998, Zealand Pharma has spent more than 25 years developing peptide-based therapeutics across metabolic and endocrine disorders. The company combines proprietary peptide research expertise with advanced AI and machine learning-driven data platforms aimed at accelerating obesity and metabolic health drug development.
Zealand Pharma currently has multiple drug candidates in clinical development, including three late-stage programs, while also maintaining partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies for research and commercialization initiatives. The collaboration with Roche on petrelintide reflects increasing global investment in next-generation obesity therapies as demand for innovative weight-management treatments continues to surge worldwide.
The upcoming ADA 2026 presentations are expected to further position petrelintide among the most closely watched investigational therapies in the evolving obesity treatment landscape.
Source: Zealand Pharma press release
