(Yicai) June 23 -- The efficacy of a glucagon-like peptide-1 weight-loss agonist developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sciwind Bioscience has reached that of Novo Nordisk's Semaglutide injection.

Patients lost on average 10 percent to 15 percent of weight over a 48-week treatment period with Ecnoglutide, a level comparable to that of Semaglutide, according to the drug's phase III clinical trial results presented by Ji Lijun, a professor at Peking University People's Hospital, at the American Diabetes Association's 85th Scientific Sessions.

Ecnoglutide's results from its latest clinical trial were also recently published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. The ADA's Scientific Sessions was held in Chicago from June 20 through 23.

Among obese and overweight patients treated with Ecnoglutide, more than 90 percent lost over 5 percent of weight, with the biggest loss at 15 percent, Ji noted. In addition to improving body weight, the drug significantly benefited patients' blood pressure, lipids, and serum uric acid levels, Ji pointed out.

"As more weight-loss drugs enter the market, competition will intensify," Tricia Tan, consultant in metabolic medicine, endocrinology, and diabetes at Imperial College London, said in an accompanying article to the new data. Competition is good because it can lead to a drop in the price of GLP-1 drugs and improve global access, she added.

Pharmaceutical companies are also exploring the health benefits of GLP-1 agonists beyond blood sugar control and weight loss. In March last year, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Novo Nordisk's Semaglutide for weight management in overweight individuals with heart disorders to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attacks, and strokes, becoming the first weight-loss drug approved for preventing potentially fatal heart conditions.

Denmark's Novo Nordisk and US' Eli Lilly dominate the GLP-1 weight-loss drug market.

Editor: Martin Kadiev