China approved Pfizer's GLP-1 drug Xianweiying (ecnoglutide) for long-term weight management in overweight or obese adults on March 6, 2026.
Pfizer licensed exclusive commercialization rights for Xianweiying in mainland China from Sciwind Biosciences in February 2026 for up to $495 million, including upfront and milestone payments.
Ecnoglutide was previously approved in China for type 2 diabetes and is a GLP-1 receptor agonist competing with drugs from Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Innovent Biologics.
The approval boosts competition in China's growing obesity market, projected to be worth billions, with 2025 sales of similar drugs reaching $38-61 million on major e-commerce platforms.
Sciwind described the licensing as a key step in Pfizer's metabolic strategy in China.