Sciwind’s ecnoglutide outperforms semaglutide in head-to-head obesity trial

Sciwind Biosciences Eyes Global Deals for Obesity Drug After Head-to-Head Win Over Wegovy

Hangzhou Sciwind Biosciences is pressing forward with plans to bring its obesity treatment ecnoglutide to major Western and emerging markets, buoyed by new clinical data released this weekend showing the drug delivered 35% greater weight loss than Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide — the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic — in a head-to-head trial.

The data, presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 2026 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, showed that patients on ecnoglutide lost 12.8% of their body weight at 20 weeks compared with 9.5% for those on semaglutide, a difference that was highly statistically significant. Nearly all patients on ecnoglutide — 99% — achieved at least 5% weight loss, versus 86% on semaglutide, while 74% of the ecnoglutide group lost 10% or more of their body weight compared to 40% in the semaglutide group.prnewswire

From China Approval to Global Ambitions

Sciwind CEO Hai Pan has previously told Reuters that the company was in talks with a U.S. company interested in licensing ecnoglutide for American patients. The company has also signed a deal with Verdiva Bio granting exclusive global rights outside Greater China and South Korea, in an agreement worth up to $2.4 billion in potential milestone payments.reuters

In February, Pfizer secured exclusive commercialization rights for ecnoglutide in mainland China in a deal worth up to $495 million in upfront, regulatory, and sales milestone payments. Ecnoglutide was approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration in January 2026 for type 2 diabetes and received a subsequent approval in March for chronic weight management.prnewswire

A Differentiated Mechanism

Ecnoglutide is described as the world’s first approved cAMP-biased GLP-1 receptor agonist, a mechanism that Sciwind says enhances biological efficacy while maintaining a safety profile consistent with the broader GLP-1 drug class. The company is also developing an oral formulation of ecnoglutide, which completed Phase 1 trials in Australia, as well as a monthly injectable and combination therapies targeting muscle preservation during weight loss.sciwindbio

The competitive landscape in obesity is intensifying, with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly dominating the market through semaglutide and tirzepatide respectively. But Sciwind’s head-to-head results could strengthen its negotiating position as it seeks partners to take ecnoglutide through the regulatory processes required in the United States, Europe, and other markets where demand for GLP-1 therapies continues to surge.