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With a first-in-class approval in China, Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 development engine has delivered yet again on the obesity front—although local biopharma outfit Innovent Biologics will be the one to reap the rewards in the near term.
In a breakthrough for incretin medicines, China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved Innovent’s dual GLP-1/glucagon (GCP) receptor agonist mazdutide for chronic weight management in Chinese adults who are overweight or have obesity.
Crucially, patients must also have at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as high blood sugar or blood pressure, according to a statement (Chinese) from the country’s drug regulator.
The green light earns mazdutide the distinction of being the world’s first dual GCG/GLP-1 med, Innovent said in a June 27 press release. Innovent paid an undisclosed sum to secure the Chinese rights to mazdutide from Lilly in 2019, while Lilly continues to hold the rights to the metabolic drug outside of China, where it has yet to win approval.
Mazdutide, as a new entrant in the booming GLP-1 scene for obesity, recently ranked among Fierce Pharma’s top 10 most anticipated drug launches of 2025. That report leveraged data on prospective launches from intelligence and analytics firm Evaluate, which has estimated that the drug could reach $1.3 billion in 2030 sales.
By targeting the GCG receptor, Lilly and Innovent figure mazdutide should help increase the body’s energy expenditure, spurring changes in the liver, brain and white and brown adipose tissue that complement the reduced energy intake triggered by GLP-1 activation.
China’s drug regulator based its approval on data from Innovent’s phase 3 GLORY-1 study in more than 600 adults in China who are overweight or obese. At the study’s 48-week mark, patients on mazdutide 4 mg, mazdutide 6 mg and placebo achieved an average weight loss relative to baseline of 12%, 14.8% and 0.5%, respectively.
Mazdutide is the world's first dual GCG/GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for weight loss. It offers a unique mechanism that enhances weight-loss efficacy while reducing visceral fat and providing comprehensive metabolic benefits.
Mazdutide is being developed collaboratively by Eli Lilly and Innovent Biologics. Innovent holds the rights to the drug in China, while Eli Lilly retains the rights outside of China.
In China, Mazdutide is approved for adults who are overweight or have obesity, provided they also have at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as high blood sugar or high blood pressure.
By targeting the GCG receptor, Mazdutide increases the body's energy expenditure and triggers beneficial changes in the liver, brain, and adipose tissues. This complements the reduced energy intake caused by GLP-1 activation.
In the phase 3 GLORY-1 study involving over 600 adults in China, patients taking mazdutide 4 mg and 6 mg achieved an average weight loss of 12% and 14.8% respectively at the 48-week mark, compared to just 0.5% for the placebo group.
