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Chinese Developers Showcase Potentially Differentiated Weight Loss Assets At ADA

Including First-In-Class ActRIIA Antibody

 
• By Xu Hu

Multiple Chinese firms presented at this year’s ADA meeting, with a focus on weight reduction efficacy for mostly early clinical stage assets. While limited information was given on lean mass preservation, several companies are progressing drugs and combos to address this need.

Scientists (miniature) are gathering at a conference hall for a meeting.
This year’s ADA indicated that muscle-preserving drugs developed by Chinese firms for weight management are mostly in preclinical stage currently. (Shutterstock/AI-generated)

Among Chinese developers of weight management medicines presenting at the June 20–23 American Diabetes Association (ADA) congress, Sciwind Biosciences and Laekna Therapeutics appeared to be the stand-outs in terms of new data on self-developed assets — ecnoglutide in Phase III and the Phase I first-in-class combination therapy LAE102, respectively.

The Chinese-origin, clinical-stage drugs presented at the Chicago meeting were in a notably narrow band in terms of therapeutic targets,...

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