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News
A new treatment for short bowel syndrome just cleared a major hurdle in Europe. The EU's medicines committee gave a positive recommendation for Zealand Pharma's Zeydovio (glepaglutide), marking the first significant advancement for the condition in Europe in more than 10 years. The European Commission is expected to issue a final marketing decision within about 67 days.
A long-awaited treatment option for short bowel syndrome is on the horizon in Europe. Zealand Pharma's drug candidate Zeydovio (glepaglutide), a long-acting GLP-2 analogue, received a positive opinion from the EU's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), recommending its approval for short bowel syndrome (SBS) — a rare and debilitating condition where patients struggle to absorb enough nutrients from food. The European Commission will now review the recommendation, with a final marketing authorization decision expected within roughly 67 days.
The drug showed meaningful results in a late-stage trial, significantly reducing patients' dependence on parenteral support — the IV nutrition and fluids many SBS patients rely on daily. Zealand Pharma is also enrolling patients in another late-stage trial to support a US New Drug Application, and the company is actively seeking a global commercial partner to handle the drug's launch in both Europe and the US.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: SBS patients often face a lifetime of IV nutrition dependence, which carries serious risks and significantly impacts quality of life. A newly approved therapy would be the first major treatment advance in Europe in over a decade, offering real hope to a patient population with very limited options.
