Pfizer has entered into a licensing agreement with China-based Sciwind Biosciences for its type 2 diabetes treatment ecnoglutide, with potential milestone payments totaling up to $495 million. The deal is positioned as an initial step in advancing Pfizer’s metabolic disease strategy in China, according to Sciwind.
Ecnoglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a class of drugs used to regulate blood sugar and promote satiety, similar to therapies developed by Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and other major drugmakers. The injectable treatment received approval in China in January, and Sciwind has also filed for approval of a weight management indication. Under the agreement, Pfizer will commercialize ecnoglutide in mainland China, with Sciwind eligible for an undisclosed upfront payment and additional regulatory and sales-based milestone payments.
Pfizer declined to disclose the upfront payment amount, launch timeline, or pricing strategy. Unlike some competing GLP-1 therapies currently available in China, ecnoglutide will not be included under the country’s state-run health insurance scheme for type 2 diabetes treatment.
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