Pfizer has received approval in China for its GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment, Xianweiying, intended for long-term weight management in adults who are overweight or obese, the U.S. pharmaceutical giant announced on Friday. The move positions Pfizer to compete in a Chinese weight-loss drug market projected to be worth billions of dollars.
The once-weekly injection, also known as ecnoglutide, joins a class of GLP-1 drugs already marketed locally by companies including Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Innovent Biologics.
“This marks a breakthrough in the field of weight management,” said Sciwind Biosciences, Pfizer’s licensing partner in China, on its website.
Pfizer licensed the mainland China commercialization rights for Xianweiying from Sciwind, based in Hangzhou, in February. Sciwind described the deal as “an important first step to advance Pfizer’s global strategy in the metabolic field in China.”
Market data highlights the rapid growth in demand: Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy generated 260 million yuan ($38 million) in sales on Alibaba’s Tmall and JD.com in 2025, compared with 416 million yuan ($61 million) for Innovent’s Xinermei, according to Jefferies.
The approval strengthens Pfizer’s presence in China’s expanding obesity treatment sector. The company has also recently acquired Metsera, a developer of obesity drugs, and another experimental GLP-1 treatment from a separate developer, signaling its commitment to the field.
A Pfizer spokesperson confirmed that Xianweiying is administered as a once-weekly injection but declined to comment on pricing or a launch date in China. Ecnoglutide is already approved in the country for treating Type 2 diabetes.
