China's GLP-1 Market Heats Up with New Data from Corxel and Sciwind

The 85th American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions has unveiled promising developments in China's growing GLP-1 market, with Corxel Pharmaceuticals and Sciwind Biosciences presenting significant data on their respective obesity treatments.

Corxel's Oral GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Shows Promise

Corxel Pharmaceuticals reported phase 2 data on an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist, acquired from Vincentage for markets outside greater China. The trial, conducted in China, evaluated the small-molecule candidate in nondiabetic adults who were overweight or had obesity with at least one related comorbidity.

Results showed impressive weight loss outcomes:

• Participants on the highest dose with fast titration lost 9.7% of body weight in 16 weeks
• Those on the highest dose with slow titration lost 9.4% of body weight
• The lowest dose group experienced 5.8% weight loss
• Placebo group lost 1.6% of body weight

Notably, the slow titration regimen demonstrated more consistent results, with 90% of patients losing at least 5% of their weight, compared to 77% in the fast titration group. However, the fast titration was more likely to achieve weight loss of 10% or 15%.

A phase 3 trial is currently underway in China, signaling Corxel's commitment to advancing this potential oral alternative in the competitive GLP-1 market.

Sciwind's Ecnoglutide Demonstrates Competitive Efficacy

Sciwind Biosciences published phase 3 data on its injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist, ecnoglutide, revealing promising results in the obesity treatment landscape:

• Mean weight loss of 15.4% after 48 weeks
• 92.8% of patients lost at least 5% of their weight at Week 48

These results position ecnoglutide as a strong contender against established treatments. For comparison, Eli Lilly's tirzepatide (Zepbound) showed weight loss of up to 17.5% in its Chinese phase 3 trial, with up to 87.7% of patients achieving 5% weight loss.

While cross-trial comparisons can be unreliable, the available data suggests that ecnoglutide may be able to compete effectively with current market leaders.

The Evolving Chinese GLP-1 Market

The presentations at the ADA Scientific Sessions underscore the rapid development of China's GLP-1 market. With Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk already established, and new entrants like Corxel and Sciwind showing promising results, the sector is becoming increasingly competitive.

Despite the crowded field, the sheer size of the Chinese market presents significant opportunities. Even securing a modest market share could translate to substantial sales for these emerging players.

As the obesity treatment landscape continues to evolve, the success of these new entrants will likely depend on their ability to differentiate their products and navigate the complex regulatory and commercial environment in China.