Ecnoglutide
Sciwind Biosciences' GLP-1 agonist — approved in China (NMPA, March 2026) for obesity and type 2 diabetes; not FDA-approved. Distinguished from other GLP-1s by "biased agonism" selectively activating cAMP over β-arrestin recruitment.
A long-acting once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist developed by Sciwind Biosciences and Pfizer-partnered, engineered to preferentially activate the cAMP signaling pathway while minimizing β-arrestin recruitment — the first clinical validation of "GPCR biased agonism" in metabolic disease, approved by China's NMPA in March 2026 under the brand name Xianweiying.
Mechanism of action
Binds and activates GLP-1R with a biased signaling profile — selectively engaging the Gs/cAMP pathway while minimizing β-arrestin recruitment. In theory this separates the beneficial metabolic effects (cAMP-dependent) from some of the adverse events and receptor downregulation associated with β-arrestin recruitment, though the clinical significance of this biased-agonism profile compared to conventional GLP-1 agonists remains a subject of ongoing research.
Primary uses
- Chronic weight management (approved China only)
- Type 2 diabetes (approved China only)
Typical dosing
Phase 3 SLIMMER trial doses; 2.4 mg was the most effective.
Regulatory status
Approved in China by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) on March 6, 2026 for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight, and separately for adult type 2 diabetes. Marketed in China as Xianweiying. Not FDA-approved. Approval was based on the Phase 3 SLIMMER trial (N=664, 48 weeks) published in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology in June 2025, which showed 15.4% mean weight loss at the 2.4 mg dose (13.2% placebo-adjusted at week 40) with 92.8% of participants achieving ≥5% weight loss.
References
- [pubmed] Ji L, et al. "Ecnoglutide, a cAMP signaling-biased GLP-1 receptor agonist, in Chinese adults with overweight or obesity (SLIMMER): a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial." Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol, 2025.
- [news-release] Sciwind Biosciences. "Sciwind Biosciences Announces Ecnoglutide Injection Approved by China's NMPA for Chronic Weight Management." March 6, 2026.
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This entry is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Dosing information reflects published regulatory or research data and is not a recommendation. Many compounds described here are not approved for human use in the United States. Consult a licensed medical professional before considering any peptide therapy.