China’s approval of Sciwind Biosciences’ Ecnoglutide injection as the fifth GLP-1 obesity therapy signals intensifying competition in one of the world’s fastest-growing metabolic drug markets. Strong Phase III efficacy and a landmark commercialization partnership with Pfizer highlight rising strategic interest in obesity treatments, positioning China as a key battleground for innovation, pricing competition, and global pharmaceutical expansion in GLP-1-based therapies, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.

Sciwind Biosciences has recently received approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for Ecnoglutide. In February, Pfizer signed a commercialization agreement with Sciwind to market Ecnoglutide in the Chinese market. This marks Pfizer’s first commercial product for obesity in China and its overall global portfolio.

Ecnoglutide is a cAMP-biased GLP-1 receptor agonist designed to preferentially activate cAMP-mediated signaling while limiting β-arrestin recruitment. This profile may help reduce GLP-1 receptor desensitization and internalization over time. Notably, Ecnoglutide received NMPA clearance in January 2026 for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.

The other four marketed GLP-1 receptor agonist obesity drugs include Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide), Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Shanghai Benemae Pharmaceutical Corp’s Yishengtai (Ecnoglutide), and Innovent Biologics Inc’s Xinermei (mazdutide).

The approval was supported by results from the Phase III SLIMMER trial, which demonstrated a favorable safety profile and strong efficacy through week 48. At the highest dose, Ecnoglutide achieved a mean 15.4% reduction in body weight from baseline. Additionally, 92.8% of participants experienced clinically meaningful weight loss of ≥5%, while 79.6% and 63.5% achieved reductions of ≥10% and ≥15%, respectively.

Abhishake Peyyeti, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Pfizer has officially secured its first foothold in the high-growth obesity market with the commercialization of Ecnoglutide. This move marks Pfizer’s first-ever entry into the global obesity market, signaling a clear intent to expand in this area. It is noteworthy that Pfizer is among the first major pharmaceutical companies to enter obesity drug commercialization through a partnership.”

According to GlobalData Pharma Intelligence Center, 36 Chinese companies are involved in the clinical development of obesity drugs with 41 GLP-1 drugs in clinical development in China. There are 12 drugs in Phase III, 15 drugs in Phase II, and 14 drugs in Phase I.

Peyyeti concludes: “Sciwind Biosciences is solidifying its position in the rapidly growing GLP-1 market, supported by Pfizer’s commercial strength. With pivotal head-to-head data against semaglutide (Wegovy) on the horizon, Sciwind is well-positioned to enhance its competitive edge and potentially reshape the hierarchy in obesity treatment.”