China's Weight-Loss Drug Market Enters Boom Phase as Multinationals and Domestic Firms Accelerate Competition

　　【Pharmaceutical Network Industry Dynamics】Currently, China's weight-loss drug market is in a "surge in demand + product expansion" golden period. Targeting the vast market, many pharmaceutical companies are accelerating the clinical trials and market launch of their drugs.
 

On January 10, Eli Lilly submitted a marketing application to the NMPA for Orforglipron. It is reported that Orforglipron was discovered by Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. In September 2018, Chugai Pharmaceutical and Eli Lilly entered into a global exclusive license agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Eli Lilly obtained global development and commercialization rights for OWL833.
 

To date, the drug has successfully completed seven Phase III studies, including four in patients with type 2 diabetes (ACHIEVE-1, ACHIEVE-2, ACHIEVE-3, ACHIEVE-5), two in individuals with obesity or overweight (ATTAIN-1, ATTAIN-MAINTAIN), and one in obese or overweight patients with type 2 diabetes (ATTAIN-2), with related results already disclosed. Additionally, in December 2025, Eli Lilly submitted a new drug application to the U.S. FDA for the treatment of adult obesity or overweight.
 

On January 12, Hengrui Pharma announced that its subsidiary, Shandong Shengdi Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., had received the "Drug Clinical Trial Approval Notice" for HRS-7535 tablets issued by the National Medical Products Administration, and will soon commence clinical trials.
 

The announcement shows that HRS-7535 tablets are a new type of oral small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist. It can not only activate human GLP-1R, promote insulin secretion in the pancreas, reduce glucagon secretion, and inhibit gastric emptying, but also enhance satiety and suppress appetite by influencing the central nervous system, directly reducing energy intake through mechanisms used for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and weight loss.
 

On January 12, it was reported that Shanghai World Leading Pharmaceutical's Semaglutide Nasal Spray has successively obtained clinical tacit approval from China's CDE and clinical approval from the U.S. FDA, becoming the world's first GLP-1 transmucosal delivery formulation.
 

It is reported that the Semaglutide Nasal Spray is a Class 2.2 modified new chemical drug, intended for long-term weight management in adult patients based on diet control and exercise. The drug was developed using its mucosal delivery platform, with core advantages including direct entry into systemic circulation, which helps improve bioavailability; being non-invasive, highly compliant, and convenient for medication use.
 

On January 13, SANEGENEBIO announced that its self-developed small interfering RNA (siRNA) candidate drug SGB-7342 completed the first dosing of subjects in a Phase 1 clinical study in China for the treatment of obesity at the First Hospital of Jilin University.
 

SGB-7342 Injection is a chemical drug indicated for obesity. The drug is formulated as an injection and administered subcutaneously as a single dose. The primary objective of this trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of SGB-7342 following subcutaneous administration in overweight or obese subjects in China.
 

Overall, driven by favorable policies and the expanding demand for medications among patients, China's weight-loss drug market has entered a "boom period." In the future, an increasing number of multinational corporations and local innovative enterprises will compete head-to-head in the Chinese market, engaging in fierce competition across multiple dimensions such as efficacy, safety, convenience of administration, and pricing.
 

　　Disclaimer: In no event shall the information or opinions expressed in this article constitute investment advice to any person.