China is emerging as an innovation hub in the rapidly diversifying global obesity drug landscape, with domestic drugmakers making proven incretin therapies more convenient while developing novel mechanisms beyond conventional GLP-1 therapy, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.
According to GlobalData Pharma Intelligence Center, the number of diagnosed prevalent cases for obesity in China is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.8% between 2026 and 2031. This mounting patient burden is propelling domestic drugmakers research and development towards innovative drugs in the metabolic therapy area.
China’s broad development pipeline positions it as an increasingly important and differentiated player in the global obesity treatment landscape, combining GLP-1-based approaches with emerging non-GLP-1 modalities (monoclonal antibodies, antibody drug conjugate, antisense oligonucleotide, synthetic peptides, RNAi approaches, etc.).
Chinese drugmakers are following a two-fold approach to strengthen their position in the fast-growing obesity market: making proven GLP-1-based therapies more convenient and developing novel mechanisms (non-GLP-1) beyond conventional incretin biology.”
Abhishake Peyyeti, Pharma Analyst, GlobalData
“Companies are advancing oral GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP candidates in once-daily (e.g. Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals’ bofanglutide) and investigational once-weekly injectables (e.g. Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical’s olatorepatide). In parallel, they are exploring multi-target agonists, amylin-based therapies, and gene-silencing technologies. China is building a broad obesity pipeline that could shape next-generation treatments.”
According to the GlobalData Pharma Intelligence Center, 47 Chinese companies are involved in the clinical development of 67 (54 GLP-1 and 13 non-GLP-1) obesity drugs in China: 15 drugs in Phase III, 19 drugs in Phase II, and 33 drugs in Phase I.
Peyyeti concludes: “This momentum is attracting growing interest from Western pharmaceutical companies, which are increasingly turning to Chinese partners to strengthen their obesity and other metabolic disease portfolios, through collaborations ranging from early-stage programs to advanced clinical candidates. Billion-dollar deals by big pharma companies such as AstraZeneca, Roche, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer over the past three years demonstrate this shift. With the ability to advance candidates into the clinic at competitive costs and with increasingly differentiated mechanisms, Chinese innovators are steadily emerging as key partners in shaping the future of global obesity care.”
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