Looking to enter the burgeoning obesity market, Roche has signed a global collaboration and licensing agreement with Zealand Pharma to develop the latter’s weight-loss amylin analogue, petrelintide. Through the deal, which involves a US$1.65 B upfront payment and up to US$3.6 B in milestones, the companies will co-develop and co-commercialise petrelintide monotherapy and potential combination products, including petrelintide/CT-388, in the US and Europe. The deal shortly follows AbbVie’s US$2.2 B licensing pact with Gubra for amylin analogue GUB14295, as big pharma interest in the alternative mechanism builds.