SHANGHAI, China: China has approved Pfizer's GLP-1 drug Xianweiying for long-term weight management in overweight or obese adults, the U.S. drugmaker said, intensifying competition in a fast-growing market analysts expect to be worth billions.

The treatment, also known as ecnoglutide, is a once-weekly injection and belongs to the class of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs already sold in China by companies including Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Innovent Biologics.

"This marks a breakthrough in the field of weight management," Pfizer's licensing partner Sciwind Biosciences said on its website.

Pfizer obtained the commercialisation rights for the drug in mainland China earlier this year. In February, the company licensed the rights for Xianweiying from Hangzhou-based Sciwind Biosciences.

The agreement represented "an important first step to advance Pfizer's global strategy in the metabolic field in China", Sciwind said in a previous statement.

The approval strengthens Pfizer's position in the rapidly expanding market for obesity treatments, which has drawn global interest as demand for weight-loss drugs surges.

Sales data highlight the growing demand. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy recorded sales of about 260 million yuan (US$38 million) on Alibaba's Tmall platform and JD.com in 2025, according to a note from investment bank Jefferies.

Innovent Biologics' competing product Xinermei generated higher sales of about 416 million yuan ($61 million) during the same period, the note said.

Pfizer has recently been expanding its presence in obesity and metabolic treatments. The company acquired obesity drug developer Metsera and also obtained another experimental GLP-1 drug from a separate developer.

A Pfizer spokesperson said Xianweiying would be administered as a once-a-week injection but declined to comment on pricing or when the drug would launch in China.

Ecnoglutide has already been approved in China for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.