Roche invests $ 5.3 billion in new slimming medication!

Roche invests $ 5.3 billion in new slimming medication!

The Swiss pharmaceutical and diagnostic group Roche has announced a significant investment of up to $ 5.3 billion in order to promote the development of the Petrelintide slimming agent. This is done in cooperation with the Danish biotech company Zealand Pharma. Roche strives to market the drug not only in Europe and the USA, but also has exclusive rights for the rest of the world. This ambitious collaboration was published today, as Roche.com reported .

As part of the agreement, Roche pays an initial payment of $ 1.65 billion to Zealand, whereby additional success -dependent payments can increase the total amount to up to $ 5.3 billion. Petrelintide, which is currently in the second phase of clinical development, is to be administered as once a weekly injection. This therapy aims to offer people with overweight and obesity. Roche also plans the combination of Petrelintide with its own treatment agent CT-388 to maximize effectiveness and to change the standards of therapy in obesity treatment, says Teresa Graham, head of Roche-Pharmas division, such as OE24.at reported .

The investment indicates that Roche is strategically moving in a market that is considered extremely lucrative, since overweight and obesity could affect an estimated 4 billion people worldwide by 2035. With this partnership, Roche, as a market leader in the area of ​​slimming means, hopes to highlight both in the therapeutic effect and in tolerability towards other products that are currently on the market. In an exciting market environment, in which competitors such as Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are active, Roche could take on a key role through this step and significantly influence the competitive landscape.