Promising Chinese Weight Loss Drug Poses Challenge To U.S. Biopharma

A weight-loss injection developed by a Chinese biotech company has shown results nearly matching Eli Lilly’s blockbuster drug Zepbound, according to late-stage trial data.

Hengrui’s candidate is one of several Chinese weight-loss treatments licensed to U.S. firms. I Photo: Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Sina Weibo

The development signals the growing competitive threat that China’s booming biotech industry could pose to U.S. pharmaceutical giants, Barron’s Daily reported, via Josh Nathan-Kazis.

Hengrui Pharma, one of China’s largest drugmakers, and its U.S.-based partner Kailera Therapeutics, revealed that patients lost an average of 18% of their body weight over 48 weeks using Hengrui’s drug—or 19% among those who completed the trial—compared to 21% in Zepbound’s longer-duration trial.

Hengrui and Kailera emphasized that participants in their study were still losing weight when the trial ended. Notably, the study did not test the highest possible dose of the drug, and Kailera believes it may ultimately outperform Zepbound.

Hengrui plans to seek regulatory approval for the treatment in China only. Kailera holds the rights outside of China but is still years away from filing for U.S. approval.

By then, Lilly’s next-generation weight-loss drug—which already outperforms Zepbound—could be on the market.

Still, the development highlights how Chinese biotech companies are beginning to reshape the global pharmaceutical landscape. In recent months, U.S. drugmakers have spent tens of billions of dollars acquiring rights to experimental drugs developed in China.

Hengrui’s candidate is one of several Chinese weight-loss treatments licensed to U.S. firms.

Merck, for instance, has licensed an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist from Hansoh Pharma. AstraZeneca, Lilly, and Novo Nordisk (maker of Wegovy) have similar deals with other Chinese biotechs.