The domestic long-acting GLP-1 is launched in the market, with the potential to be administered once every half month, or directly "challenge" Semaglutide | Early-stage Project

In the story of GLP-1, Chinese players have finally submitted a new answer sheet.

Recently, the long-acting GLP-1 drug Yisupaglutide α Injection (trade name "Yinuoqing"), independently developed by Yino Pharma, has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration for marketing and is used to treat adult type 2 diabetes. On February 11, the first national prescription of "Yinuoqing" was issued in offline public hospitals.

It is reported that Yisupaglutide α has started reservations on the two major e-commerce platforms, JD Health and Ali Health, and will be officially launched and sold online on February 18.

After Novo Nordisk's Semaglutide "ignited" the global GLP-1 market around 2021, the R & D race of domestic GLP-1 has also entered a white-hot stage. Among the many product iteration directions, the pursuit of "longer-acting", that is, fewer injections and longer maintenance effects, has always been one of the popular directions. Yino Pharma is also betting on this.

According to the data disclosed by Yino Pharma, clinical data shows that the half-life of Yisupaglutide α Injection reaches 204 hours. If a horizontal comparison is made in the currently published R & D data of GLP-1 receptor agonists, this number exceeds 168 hours of Semaglutide, 120 hours of Tirzepatide, and 112 hours of Dulaglutide.

Although the administration method disclosed by Yino Pharma after the product is launched is still "to achieve once-weekly medication". However, "204 hours" also means that with a longer half-life, Yisupaglutide α is expected to be administered once every two weeks.

If this can really be achieved, Yisupaglutide α Injection may win a good reputation for domestic GLP-1 drugs as "surpassing imports".

In terms of therapeutic effect, after 4 weeks of monotherapy with 3mg dose of Yisupaglutide α Injection, the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level of patients can be reduced by 1.1%; after 24 weeks of treatment, HbA1c is significantly reduced by 2.2% compared with the baseline, and the reduction is also as high as 1.8% when combined with metformin. For newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, the diabetes remission rate can reach 60% 3 months after drug withdrawal, with a lasting effect. In terms of good safety, the incidence of gastrointestinal-related side effects in patients using this product is low, mostly transient; and no serious hypoglycemic events occurred.

It is also introduced that from the perspective of the comprehensive effect of improving metabolic health, for the study in the non-diabetic population, it shows that after 4 weeks of treatment with Yisupaglutide α Injection, a weight loss of 4kg is achieved, and the weight reduction rate is 6.2%; in addition, the Phase III study shows that various indicators related to the cardiovascular metabolic risk of the treated patients have also been improved, such as a 4.09 mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure compared with the baseline, and a decrease in blood lipid levels such as TC and LDL-C. 32% of the patients have achieved a comprehensive metabolic standard for blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids.

"This is like installing an intelligent regulator in the body, which can not only precisely regulate blood sugar, but also help improve metabolic problems such as overweight/obesity, which is particularly important for preventing diabetic complications." Explained by Professor Zhou Jian from the Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.

It is understood that when treating type 2 diabetes, blood sugar and weight management are the keys to treatment. In China, more than 60% of diabetes patients are accompanied by overweight or obesity problems, which not only makes blood sugar more difficult to control, but also increases the risk of complications. Therefore, in terms of improving the metabolic function of type 2 diabetes, weight loss helps to achieve the comprehensive treatment goal.