China's Sciwind in talks to license weight-loss drug in US: RTRS

China's Sciwind in talks to license weight-loss drug in US: RTRS

China's Sciwind Biosciences is in advanced discussions with a U.S. company to license its experimental weight-loss drug, ecnoglutide, for American patients. The drugmaker's CEO, Pan Hai, confirmed the talks to Reuters [1]. Overweight patients treated with ecnoglutide have shown significant weight loss, with an average reduction of 10% to 15% of their body weight, aligning with results from Novo Nordisk's Wegovy [1].

Pan Hai expects that the potential U.S. partner aims to gain marketing approval to prescribe ecnoglutide for multiple conditions and will carry out further clinical development. The discussions are currently at an early stage, with no detailed contract negotiations yet. Sciwind is hoping to leverage clinical data from China and Australia to expedite the development process [1].

Pan Hai anticipates it will take at least three years for the U.S. partner to bring ecnoglutide to market in the United States. The FDA might require a bridging study to compare the drug's pharmacokinetics among different patient populations [1]. Ecnoglutide is administered as a once-weekly injection and belongs to the GLP-1 receptor agonists class, which helps control blood sugar levels and induces a feeling of fullness [1].

The U.S. weight-loss drug market is dominated by Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound, but their relatively high prices leave room for new competitors like Sciwind to offer more affordable alternatives [1]. Sciwind has already applied to sell ecnoglutide in China for weight management and type II diabetes treatment. The company is also exploring licensing options in Latin America and the Middle East [1].

Sciwind's pricing strategy in China will be competitive with other approved competitors but will avoid engaging in a "price war" [1]. The company's CEO declined to provide an estimated time of approval for ecnoglutide in China.

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/chinas-sciwind-is-talks-license-weight-loss-drug-us-ceo-says-2025-07-25/
[2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-chinas-sciwind-talks-license-074517550.html