Zealand Sells Rusfertide Rights to Royalty Pharma for $100M
With the FDA weighing approval of rusfertide for polycythemia vera, Zealand Pharma has sold its rights economics to Royalty Pharma for $100 million. The peptide hepcidin mimetic produced a 76.9% patient response rate in phase 3, and Takeda and Protagonist await an FDA decision in the third quarter. Zealand keeps 0.25% royalties above $1.5 billion, with proceeds intended to fund launches including petrelintide and survodutide.