Boehringer and Zealand to advance obesity drug

Boehringer is collaborating with Danish Zealand Pharma on a long-acting amylin analogue (BI 473494) and a GLP-1/glucagon dual-acting agonist (BI 456906) for diabetes and obesity. BI 456906 is a compound derived from the natural gut hormone oxyntomodulin that activates both the GLP-1 and glucagon receptors. Both receptors are critical to controlling metabolic functions. The dual agonist BI 456906 has potential as a new, once-weekly treatment that may offer therapeutically relevant benefits compared to currently available treatments.

With its historical strength in diabetes, Boehringer decided to also focus on obesity some time ago. Its alliance with Circuit Pharma is about the neurological basis of overweight. With Danish biotech Gubra, Boehringer is focusing on the development of peptide poly-agonists for the treatment of obesity and related diseases. 

The decision to advance BI 456906 to Phase II clinical testing is based on the safety and tolerability and the favorable weight loss potential in individuals with a body mass index up to 40 kg/m². The trial will be a dose-finding, placebo and active comparator clinical proof of concept trial in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

For the GLP1/glucagon dual-acting agonist BI 456906, Zealand is entitled to receive up to €365m in outstanding milestone payments and will receive a milestone payment of €20m related to initiation of the phase II trial. The agreement also carries high-single digit to low-double digit percentage royalties on global sales.

The second in-licensing deal between Boehringer and Zealand – covering the long-acting amylin analogue BI 473494 – envisages milestone payments of up to €283m and mid-single digit to low-double digit percentage royalties on global sales.