China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved the GLP-1 treatment Xianweiying for long-term weight management in adults who are overweight or obese. The authorization allows the injected therapy to be used in a country where obesity rates have been rising and adds another product to China’s expanding market for weight-loss medicines.
The decision comes shortly after Pfizer reached an agreement with Hangzhou-based Sciwind Biosciences. In February, Pfizer secured commercialisation rights in mainland China for ecnoglutide, the compound marketed as Xianweiying. The agreement could total up to $495 million, including an upfront payment and potential milestone payments. Under the arrangement, Sciwind will continue to oversee research and development for the drug, along with manufacturing and supply.
Ecnoglutide had previously received regulatory approval in China for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes under the name Xianyida. With the new authorization, the medicine can also be used for long-term weight management. According to Pfizer, the treatment is administered as a once-weekly injection.
Xianweiying belongs to the class of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs that are sold in China by companies such as Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Innovent Biologics. Eli Lilly also partners with the Suzhou-based company Innovent to commercialize mazdutide, a dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist that Chinese regulators approved for weight loss in June of last year. The companies expanded that partnership last month through a deal involving medicines for cancer and immune disorders.
Sciwind said the drug uses a cAMP-based mechanism of action and described it as providing a “precise new pathway” for weight loss. In a statement on its website, the company said, “This marks a breakthrough in the field of weight management.”
Clinical results referenced by the company included findings from a 48-week trial. Participants receiving the highest dose of ecnoglutide recorded an average weight reduction of 15.4% from baseline. Nearly 93% of patients in the study achieved weight loss of at least 5%, which the company described as clinically meaningful. Sciwind also reported that the therapy sustained weight reduction without showing an obvious plateau phase during the study period.
Sales data cited by investment bank Jefferies show that Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy recorded sales of 260 million yuan, or about $38 million, on Alibaba’s Tmall and JD.com e-commerce platforms in 2025. During the same period, Innovent’s Xinermei generated 416 million yuan, equivalent to roughly $61 million, according to the note.
Pfizer’s entry into the weight-management segment in China follows previous challenges in developing obesity treatments internally. In early August, the company discontinued the third and final GLP-1 candidate in its obesity pipeline after clinical data failed to meet expectations.
Since then, Pfizer has pursued other approaches in the field. In November, the company acquired obesity drug developer Metsera in a deal that could reach $10 billion after a bidding competition with Novo Nordisk. Metsera’s lead candidate, PF-08653944, has been associated with weight reduction of at least 14% after 28 weeks of treatment, according to analysts at Guggenheim Securities.
Pfizer has also paid $150 million upfront to obtain worldwide rights to another GLP-1 agonist, YP05002, developed by Yao Pharma, a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Fosun Pharmaceuticals.
A Pfizer spokesperson told Reuters that the company would not provide details on pricing or a launch date for Xianweiying in China. The spokesperson confirmed that the medication is designed to be administered once per week.
How Xianweiying Works for Weight Management
The GLP-1 drug Xianweiying belongs to a class of medications that mimic natural hormones responsible for controlling appetite and blood sugar levels. By activating GLP-1 receptors, Xianweiying helps patients feel fuller for longer periods, leading to reduced calorie intake and sustained weight loss.
Clinical studies have shown promising outcomes for Xianweiying, with participants experiencing significant weight reduction during treatment. In a 48-week trial, patients receiving higher doses of Xianweiying achieved average weight loss exceeding 15% from baseline body weight.
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