Zealand Pharma sells rights to rare blood cancer drug rusfertide for up to $100M

Zealand Pharma entered a royalty purchase and sale agreement with Royalty Pharma, receiving $50 million upfront and the possibility of an additional $50 million after one year.

In exchange, Zealand transferred most of its remaining economic interests in the investigational polycythemia vera drug rusfertide, including future regulatory and sales milestones and royalties on product sales.

The transaction ends Zealand’s remaining stake in rusfertide, a peptide therapy it originally co‑developed with Protagonist Therapeutics after a 2012 partnership that was terminated in 2014.