Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma Advance to Phase 2 Clinical Testing in NASH and Obesity
13.4.2021 15:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma A/S (“Zealand”) (NASDAQ: ZEAL) announced the initiation of two Phase 2 trials of the GLP-1/glucagon dual agonist BI 456906 for adults who are overweight or obese and for adults with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The compound was in-licensed from Zealand in 2011 and is being investigated in an ongoing Phase 2 study in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The once-weekly therapy may offer additional benefits on both chronic weight management, and NASH improvement and prevention of the progression to cirrhosis compared to currently available treatments with mono GLP-1 agonist compounds. BI 456906 is part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s growing portfolio in the obesity and NASH disease areas.
“Obesity and NASH are areas of high unmet medical need, with limited approved treatments currently available. They are associated with lower quality of life and increased mortality,” explains Prof. Arun J. Sanyal, Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Molecular Pathology at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia. “I hope that this new approach will bring a much-needed treatment option for HCPs and people afflicted with obesity or NASH.”
Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand have a fruitful longstanding partnership, bringing together Zealand’s expertise in the discovery of innovative peptide-based medicines with Boehringer Ingelheim’s expertise in the research and development of novel medicines for cardiometabolic diseases. “We are very excited to see the initiation of Phase 2 trials of BI 456906 for obesity and NASH,” said Adam Steensberg, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Zealand Pharma. “By combining GLP-1 and glucagon agonism mechanistically, we believe our dual agonist has the potential to achieve increased weight loss, via improvement of the patient’s metabolism, and also has potential to alleviate NASH by reducing upstream steatosis.”
“Our cardiometabolic research and development is focusing on discovering novel treatments for obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), to meet the large unmet need among these groups,” explains Waheed Jamal, MD, Head of Cardiovascular, Metabolic and Respiratory Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim. “We are exploring a number of unique approaches with great potential to help people living with obesity or NASH. We believe dual agonists are next generation drug candidates with a potential for higher efficacy in weight loss and NASH improvement/cirrhosis prevention.”
Under the terms of the GLP-1/glucagon dual agonist licensing agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim funds all research, development and commercialization activities. Zealand is entitled to receive up to EUR 345 million in outstanding milestone payments. No milestone payments are due with the initiations of these Phase 2 studies. The agreement also carries high-single digit to low-double digit percentage royalties on global sales.
Please click on the following link for ‘Notes to Editors’ and ‘References’:
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/clinical-phase2-trials-nash-and-obesity
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210413005636/en/
Contact information
Boehringer Ingelheim
Dr. Birgit Leimer
Product Communications Manager
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporate Center GmbH
Media + PR
E-Mail: press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Zealand Pharma
David Rosen
Argot Partners
E-Mail: media@zealandpharma.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
bet365 Partners with TestMu AI to Accelerate Global Release Velocity with Agentic AI Quality Engineering31.3.2026 20:01:00 EEST | Press release
TestMu AI (Formerly LambdaTest), the world's first full-stack Agentic AI Quality Engineering platform, today announced that Hillside Technology Limited, the technology powerhouse behind global online gambling leader bet365, has adopted its platform to unify software testing and support hundreds of weekly production releases. The global online gaming industry is currently experiencing a massive shift, with the market projected to exceed $150 billion by 2030. As mobile gaming becomes the primary touchpoint for users, the technical complexity of delivering a seamless, low-latency experience has grown exponentially. For industry giants like bet365, the need to validate software across an infinite matrix of hardware, screen resolutions, and OS versions is a mission-critical requirement. This partnership ensures that, as gaming becomes more mobile-centric, bet365 can lead with technical excellence by testing on real-world configurations that mirror its diverse global user base. Founded in 20
IFF Secures First Heart Health Claim for Soy Protein in Australia and New Zealand31.3.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
IFF (NYSE: IFF), a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences announced today that a new heart health claim for isolated soy protein has been accepted by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). The approval enables food and beverage manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand to link soy protein consumption with healthy blood cholesterol levels. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330523416/en/ First heart health claim approved for soy protein in Australia and New Zealand. “For decades, IFF has invested in the science behind soy protein and its role in supporting cardiovascular health,” said Tony Andrew, vice president of protein solutions for IFF Food Ingredients. “This approved claim validates years of rigorous research and collaboration. With our deep expertise in ingredient science, application and scale, we are well-positioned to help our customers translate th
Andersen Consulting Strengthens Capabilities with Addition of Lukkap31.3.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Andersen Consulting adds collaborating firm Lukkap, a consultancy focused on experience-driven capabilities aligned with clients’ evolving people, customer, and digital transformation needs. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Spain, Lukkap delivers integrated solutions that help organizations transform how they serve customers, engage employees, and unlock value through behavioral insights and data analytics. The firm’s multidisciplinary approach spans customer journey redesign, high-impact employee experience programs, talent and leadership development, predictive analytics, and comprehensive outplacement and transition services. Lukkap works across sectors — including healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, retail, finance, and banking — to build human-centered strategies that drive measurable business results. “By combining our experience-led methodology with Andersen Consulting’s global platform, we can accelerate the way organizations approach customer experience,” said Albe
Sub-Q Bionics Closes $1.5M Pre-Seed Round to Advance Next-Generation Solution for Lymphedema Care31.3.2026 16:26:00 EEST | Press release
Sub-Q Bionics, a medical device company developing next-generation solutions to improve care for patients living with lymphedema, today announced the successful close of its $1.5 million pre-seed funding round. The round includes investment from Mayo Clinic and Yeda, the technology transfer company of the Weizmann Institute of Science, as well as several private investors. The Israel Innovation Authority also provided matching funds. The funding will enable Sub-Q Bionics to continue to develop its novel bionic lymph node technology designed to transform how lymphedema is managed, based on scientific innovations from the Weizmann Institute and Shamir Medical Center. The system aims to provide a solution to manage fluid with a subcutaneous implant that will allow patients freedom of movement, automatic fluid management and reduction of symptoms such as pain and swelling. Lymphedema affects millions of patients worldwide, especially breast cancer survivors, and remains significantly under
HTEC Achieves SOC 2 Type II Attestation, Reinforcing Commitment to Client Trust31.3.2026 16:25:00 EEST | Press release
HTECtoday announced that it has successfully achieved a SOC 2 Type II attestation, audited by Deloitte, demonstrating the company’s commitment to maintaining high standards in security, availability, and confidentiality. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260331132225/en/ HTEC today announced that it has successfully achieved a SOC 2 Type II attestation, audited by Deloitte, demonstrating the company’s commitment to maintaining high standards in security, availability, and confidentiality. For clients, this means working with a technology partner whose practices are standardized, consistently executed, and independently verified over time. It reflects a level of operational maturity where security, reliability, and data protection are built into every engagement. Achieving this standard required coordinated effort across the entire organization. Compliance, engineering, delivery, security, IT, legal, and people t
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom