Could China's New GLP-1 Drugs Beat Out Ozempic?
At first, Chinese pharmaceutical companies rushed to make similar versions of blockbuster weight-loss drugs, such as Wegovy and Ozempic, that have taken the world by storm. Nowadays, China is emerging as important innovator for new drug discovery in this field, says Daniel Drucker, an endocrinologist at the University of Toronto in Canada.
Results from a phase III trial of ecnoglutide show that people receiving a weekly injection of the drug lost up to 13.8 kilograms over 48 weeks of treatment. By contrast, people given placebo injections lost around 200 grams. The results were published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology on 21 June.
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Ecnoglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist analogue, similar to the blockbuster obesity drug semaglutide. These drugs mimic the hormone GLP-1, which is involved in regulating appetite and managing blood-sugar levels. Unlike semaglutide, ecnoglutide preferentially targets the production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, a messenger molecule associated with regulating glycogen, sugar and lipid metabolism, which helps to control blood-sugar levels, as well as weight loss.
The study, funded by drug manufacturer Sciwind Biosciences, based in Hangzhou, China, included 664 people given either a weekly injection of a placebo, or one of three doses of ecnoglutide. At the maximum dose of 2.4 milligrams, 92.8% of people lost at least 5% of their body weight, compared with 14% of people receiving placebo injections. People receiving ecnoglutide were also able to maintain their reduced weight after stopping treatment, regaining around 1% of their body weight over a 7-week period.
Linong Ji, a co-author and a diabetes researcher at Peking University People's Hospital in Beijing, says ecnoglutide also improved risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, and reduced the amount of fat in people's livers.
More drugs to come
Dozens of GLP-1 drugs are being developed and tested in China, with 'many more to come', says Drucker.
Among them is mazdutide, which mimics GLP-1 and glucagon, a hormone involved in blood-sugar levels. In trial results published in May, a weekly injection helped more people to lose up to 15% of their body weight over 36 weeks and reduced the risk of cardiovascular diseases compared with a placebo treatment.
Developed by Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana, mazdutide is manufactured by Innovent Biologics in Suzhou, China, under an exclusive licence. Other trials are testing whether the drug can treat sleep apnoea or type 2 diabetes.
The growing number of new GLP-1 drugs target multiple pathways at the same time so will result in more-tailored treatments, says Sof Andrikopoulos, a diabetes researcher at the University of Melbourne. The next generation of drugs will target specific conditions associated with diabetes and obesity, such as sleep apnoea, fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease and heart disease, he adds. 'It'll give us options and it will make personalized medicine in obesity and diabetes more accessible.'
Triple threat
Another drug being developed in China, known as UBT251, is a triple agonist, mimicking GLP-1, glucagon and another hormone called gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), which is involved in fat metabolism. UBT251 is the first biweekly injectable GLP-1 medicine and is in the early stages of testing to achieve weight loss and treat chronic kidney disease, fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes. In March, Hengqin-based manufacturer the United Laboratories entered into a US$2-billion deal with Danish firm Novo Nordisk, which developed semaglutide, giving Novo Nordisk exclusive rights to test and sell the drug outside the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Bofanglutide, developed by Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals in Beijing, is another biweekly injectable treatment, but it targets only GLP-1. A phase II trial began enrolling US participants with obesity in March to test it against a placebo and tirzepatide — sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound by Eli Lilly.
Andrikopoulos says it makes sense that China is developing these drugs. 'Obesity and diabetes are major problems in Asian populations in China and in India,' he says. Studies that recruit participants in China are also important for investigating the efficacy of GLP-1 drugs in Asian populations, which could reveal differences not observed in studies from Europe or the United States.
A Hong Kong-based pharmaceutical company, Ascletis, is also investigating the benefit of once-daily oral drug, called ASC30, for weight loss. Early trial results show that participants lost 6% more of their body weight on the drug than with a placebo. The company has applied for permission from the US Food and Drug Administration to run a phase II trial. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are also working on oral GLP-1 medicines.
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Business Upturn
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These data build on previous studies which have established an estimated point of clinical correspondence for 10 µg follitropin delta to 150 IU follitropin alfa in this class of medications.1,2 The ADAPT-1 trial was a multicentre, randomised, assessor-blind study involving 300 women aged 18-40 years undergoing IVF or ICSI.3 The trial compared the efficacy and safety of follitropin delta and follitropin alfa using conventional dosing regimens with a primary endpoint of number of oocytes retrieved. Currently, follitropin delta is approved for use via a dosing algorithm based on serum anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) and bodyweight individualised for each patient, and aims to obtain an ovarian response which is associated with a favourable safety/efficacy profile. The clinical value of this approach has been well established4,5,6,7,8, particularly in treatment-naïve patients where the algorithm aims to achieve 8–14 retrieved oocytes while minimising the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) to optimise the live birth rate in a fresh and frozen transfer cycle.4,5,6,7,8 Key Findings: Ovarian Response: Both treatment groups achieved a mean of 9.9 oocytes retrieved, indicating similar efficacy Both treatment groups achieved a mean of 9.9 oocytes retrieved, indicating similar efficacy Clinical Pregnancy Rates: Clinical pregnancy rates were similar for follitropin delta 31.6% versus 31.0% for follitropin alfa Clinical pregnancy rates were similar for follitropin delta 31.6% versus 31.0% for follitropin alfa Drug Product Usage: After measurement unit conversion, the mean total dose patients were exposed to was numerically lower for follitropin delta (143.7±33.6 µg) than follitropin alfa (154.3±23.1 µg or 2,105±315 IU) After measurement unit conversion, the mean total dose patients were exposed to was numerically lower for follitropin delta (143.7±33.6 µg) than follitropin alfa (154.3±23.1 µg or 2,105±315 IU) OHSS Rates: Early OHSS rates were low (2.5% for follitropin delta and 3.0% for follitropin alfa), with no cycle cancellations due to excessive ovarian response on either arm of the study. 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About GnRH protocols Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and antagonists are used as concomitant treatment during ovarian stimulation to prevent premature luteinisation and ovulation for IVF/ICSI.7,8 About Follitropin Delta (Rekovelle®) Follitropin delta is a human cell line-derived rFSH with an approved dosing algorithm designed for a predictable ovarian response.3 It is the first rFSH derived from a human cell line (PER.C6® cell line). Follitropin delta is structurally and biochemically distinct from other existing rFSH gonadotrophins.3,4 Follitropin delta is approved in certain markets for use in controlled ovarian stimulation for the development of multiple follicles in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART), such as IVF or ICSI cycle. 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The company is headquartered in Saint-Prex, Switzerland, and has operating subsidiaries in more than 50 countries which market its medicines in over 100 countries. Learn more at or connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X. REFERENCES 1 – Arce JC, Larsson P, Garcia-Velasco JA; Establishing the follitropin delta dose that provides a comparable ovarian response to 150 IU/day follitropin alfa; RBMO; 2020 2 – Yang R, Zhang Y, Liang X et al; Comparative clinical outcome following individualized follitropin delta dosing in Chinese women undergoing ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization / intracytoplasmic sperm injection; Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology; 2022 3 – Clinical page: (Accessed June 2025) 4 – Andersen, A. N., Nelson, S. M., Fauser, B. et al. (2017). Individualized versus conventional ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization: A multicenter, randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, phase 3 noninferiority trial. 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On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Tianwen-3 will use the same approach as Tianwen-1 to make planetfall in a yet-to-be-selected landing area. The vagaries of spacecraft engineering, however, demand the site should be somewhere in the midlatitudes of the planet's northern hemisphere; it also must be at an altitude of at least three kilometers below the planet's average elevation so that more of Mars's thin air can serve to slow Tianwen-3's descent. The lander will use proven tech from China's lunar explorations, drilling as deep as two meters for subsurface samples and scooping up material from the surface. 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A number of companies have delisted from the London market or reconsidered plans to float shares in the city over the past year. Toni Meadows, head of investment at London's BRI Wealth Management, labeled AstraZeneca's rumored listing considerations as "disappointing" for the U.K. equity market — but he conceded that "it is not surprising" given that it would form the latest development in a wider established trend. Earlier this year, reports emerged that Chinese fast fashion giant Shein was looking to list in Hong Kong instead of London, when it goes public. Last week, news agency Reuters reported that the company was planning to file confidentially for a Hong Kong IPO. Metals investor Cobalt Holdings, meanwhile, confirmed to CNBC last month that it had scrapped plans for a London IPO, while British fintech giant Wise announced in June that it was moving its primary listing from London to New York. Kristo Kaarmann, Wise's CEO and co-founder, said in a statement at the time that the move would help raise awareness of the company in the U.S., while giving the firm better access to "the world's deepest and most liquid capital market." Companies listed in London have historically had much lower valuations than their Wall Street counterparts. Research from British investment manager Rathbones last year showed that the forward price-to-earnings ratio for U.K. stocks was 32% lower than those listed in the U.S. on a like-for-like basis. On the flipside, the Financial Times reported last week that Norwegian software giant Visma had chosen London for its upcoming debut on the public market. "Large and important companies like AstraZeneca are seeking a valuation uplift from exposure to a wider investor base and they will get that from moving to a US listing," BRI's Meadows told CNBC via email on Wednesday. "The trend to move listing, or the stream of takeovers for UK listed stocks, highlights value in the UK equity market, but it does nothing to encourage a new supply of companies listing here to support the future standing of the index in a Global context," Meadows added. Claire Trachet, founder of M&A advisory Trachet, said AstraZeneca shifting its listing to New York would represent "a memorable loss" for the London Stock Exchange. "Given the complexity of the company, this isn't simply because of liquidity or valuation advantages often cited by departing firms, rather a trifecta of underperforming capital markets, regulatory constraints, and misaligned incentives that make it harder to scale and reward innovation at home," she told CNBC by email. Trachet added that London-listed companies with a combined value in excess of $100 billion had already made the move to New York in recent years — and AstraZeneca's departure alone would more than double that figure. "The potential move makes it painfully clear to global markets that the UK is losing its edge on the needs of world-class, scale-driven companies," she said. "This isn't an isolated story — and that's the biggest issue. It's part of a broader shift, where founders and boards are increasingly looking to the US for deeper capital, stronger support, and a more ambitious investor base." Tom Bacon, a London-based partner at global law firm BCLP — which has a division dedicated to M&A and corporate finance — labeled reports of AstraZeneca's Soriot's desire to shift away from London "very worrying." "I think this should sound the alarm for the UK government that they need to do more both to support the city and our stock market together with our critical industries like life sciences and pharmaceuticals," he said. Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell, on Wednesday said that AstraZeneca's reported plans appeared to be driven by business needs rather than chasing a higher valuation — but he added that moving the company's listing across the Atlantic "won't be an easy move to pull off." "Unlike many other UK market 'defectors' with a dominant US shareholder base like CRH and Flutter, AstraZeneca has a more geographically diverse pool of investors," he explained in an email. However, Coatsworth noted that AstraZeneca generates around 42% of its sales from the U.S., and already has plans to increase its operational footprint in the country. Earlier this year, CEO Soriot told CNBC AstraZeneca was "very committed to the United States," where the company has two large research and development centers. AJ Bell's Coatsworth told CNBC that AstraZeneca's CEO could also see a full U.S. stock listing as a "stepping stone to receiving better treatment Stateside." European pharmaceutical companies are facing uncertainty around their future in the American market, where U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose sector-specific tariffs on drug imports. While the industry was exempted from Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs plans when they were unveiled in April, the White House leader has since placed the sector under investigation by the U.S. Commerce Department, warned tariffs on pharma are "coming soon," and signed an executive order directing medicine manufacturers to lower the price of some drugs in line with costs paid overseas.
