[China Tech] Domestically-Made Diet Medicine Research Published in Nature

China Tech is a column dedicated to the innovations reshaping China – and, inevitably, the world. From cutting-edge AI labs and next-gen robotics to homegrown apps that redefine daily life, we explore the breakthroughs that emerge from the country's relentless drive for technological dominance. Some are game-changers, others cautionary tales, but all offer a glimpse into the future as it's being built, at breakneck speed, in China.

The journal Nature has published two studies on a China-made weight-loss and diabetes drug, highlighting China's efforts to fight metabolic disorders like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.

Innovent Biologics Inc, a Chinese company, and Eli Lilly, a US company, collaborated to create Mazdutide, which has been approved in China for the treatment of type II diabetes and obesity in adults. According to Innovent, whose global research and development center is in Shanghai, it is the first dual GLP-1/glucagon (GCP) receptor agonist for type II diabetes and chronic weight management.

Leading medical professionals from the country's top hospitals and institutes took part in the design and execution of the study to guarantee its scientific validity, consistency, and authority, which accurately reflects the characteristics of Chinese patients' illnesses and their treatment needs.

One study compares Mazdutide to a placebo, while another compares it to Eli Lilly's diabetes medication, dulaglutide. According to both studies, mazdutide performs better in controlling blood sugar levels, promoting weight loss, and enhancing liver, kidney, and cardiovascular system data.

According to analysts, these studies represent a breakthrough in China's innovative clinical research in the area of metabolic illnesses, demonstrating the country's capacity for both scientific research and pharmaceutical business innovation and development.

In May, the New England Journal of Medicine, another prestigious magazine, published a study on the effects of mazdutide on Chinese people who are overweight or obese.

Many people in China suffer from obesity and diabetes. The national government's 2019–2030 Health China action plan includes diabetes and obesity prevention and control. The years 2024–2026 are designated as "weight management years," urging more creative medications and increased awareness of obesity and overweight management.

Mazdutide is a medication that targets the characteristics of Chinese patients. This novel dual GLP-1/glucagon (GCP) receptor agonist has several effects, including lowering blood sugar levels, decreasing body weight, and improving the metabolism of fat in the liver.

According to a study comparing Mazdutide with the star product Semaglutide, Chinese people with obesity and diabetes respond better to the Chinese-made medication.