(Reuters) – Zealand Pharma (ZELA.CO), opens new tab is considering a direct-to-patient sales model for the experimental weight-loss drug it is developing with Roche (ROG.S), opens new tab 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 (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab and Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab launched their GLP-1 therapies from 2021 onwards.
After encountering patient access hurdles and struggling to secure broad insurance coverage in the U.S., both drugmakers later launched direct-to-consumer online platforms. “We expect this (direct-to-consumer) market will continue to grow,” Steensberg said.
Several large drugmakers including Roche, Lilly and Pfizer (PFE.N), opens new tab have said they are open to selling some of their bestselling medicines directly to patients or businesses, rather than through insurance channels, following pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump wrote a letter to 17 drugmakers in July demanding that they create direct-to-consumer platforms to sell their medicines to U.S. patients.
Obesity drugs lend themselves to chronic therapy and consumer-style engagement, much like buying a product you use long-term, Steensberg said.
Steensberg said the model still requires a prescription, so it is not over-the-counter, but would be delivered via telehealth or virtual clinics, as is the case currently with Novo’s Wegovy injection and Lilly’s Zepbound.
Zealand’s experimental drug is based on a different hormone, amylin, to GLP-1 injections. Amylin has shown in early clinical trials to cause less severe and frequent gastrointestinal side effects.
