LONDON (Reuters) -Zealand Pharma is considering a direct-to-patient sales model for the experimental weight-loss drug it is developing with Roche alongside traditional insurer channels, its CEO told Reuters on Monday.

The company is expecting results from its mid-stage clinical trial of the drug, petrelintide, in the first half of 2026, and plans to begin a late-stage trial in the second half. It announced an up to $5.3 billion deal with Roche to co-develop the drug in March.

In an interview, Zealand CEO Adam Steensberg said the company is mulling a direct-to-consumer strategy from the outset because of how the market has evolved since Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly launched their GLP-1 therapies from 2021 onwards.

After encountering patient access hurdles and struggling to secure broad ins

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