ZhiTai Biotech Secures Over RMB 500 Million in Series C Funding to Accelerate Clinical Development of Long-Acting Weight Loss Drugs | Exclusive from 36Kr
36Kr learned that "ZhiTai Bio" recently received over 500 million RMB in Series C financing. The round was led by OrbiMed, with participation from Qiming Venture Partners, well - known industry funds, Wuyuan Capital, Xingze Capital, and Huagai Capital. Existing shareholders Taifu Capital, BlueRun Ventures, and Taiyu Investment continued to increase their investment. HaoYue Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor for this round of financing.
ZhiTai Bio was founded in 2018 and is mainly engaged in the development of recombinant protein drugs (36Kr has reported on it in detail multiple times before). In the field of chronic metabolic diseases, it has laid out ultra - long - acting, oral peptides, and multi - target innovative drugs.
Image source: ZhiTai Bio's official website
In recent years, the competition in GLP - 1 hypoglycemic and weight - loss drugs has been fierce. Finding a differentiated advantage has become the key for innovative drug companies to compete. The focus is mainly on: developing monthly preparations with a longer half - life and lower dosing frequency to improve patient compliance; enhancing weight - loss effects, cardiovascular benefits, and other curative effects; reducing safety issues such as adverse reactions and rebound after drug withdrawal; and optimizing the administration form (oral dosage form).
ZhiTai Bio's self - developed new long - acting peptide GLP - 1RA Zoweiglutide (ZT002) injection is a monthly preparation. In January 2026, the first participant was dosed in the Phase III clinical study for weight loss (HORIZON - 1 study) in China to evaluate the weight - loss efficacy of once - monthly subcutaneous injection of Zoweiglutide compared with placebo in overweight or obese participants. It is understood that the clinical trial progress of this pipeline is relatively leading among similar monthly preparation pipelines globally.
From the data, in the Phase II clinical trial, subjects who received once - monthly Zoweiglutide (160mg) had a weight loss of up to 13.8% at week 24, and there was no plateau. The discontinuation rate due to gastrointestinal adverse events was almost zero (only one case occurred in the low - dose group).
In addition to the weight - loss indication, Zoweiglutide has obtained multiple INDs (New Drug Clinical Trial Approvals) from NMPA, including indications for type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and metabolic - associated fatty liver disease.
Meanwhile, the oral peptide GLP - 1 receptor agonist ZT006 tablet developed by ZhiTai Bio is undergoing a Phase II clinical study for weight loss. Its GLP - 1/FGF21 dual - target agonist ZT003 injection is undergoing a Phase I clinical trial in Australia for the indication of metabolic dysfunction - associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
In addition, its semaglutide biosimilar ZT001 has cooperated with Tonghua Dongbao and Aimeike in the indications of diabetes and weight loss respectively to accelerate clinical and commercial implementation.
In terms of technology platforms, in the field of chronic metabolic diseases, ZhiTai Bio has established patent platforms such as long - acting peptide, oral delivery technology, protein refolding technology, and fusion protein technology.
For example, its QLLong long - acting peptide technology platform uses site - specific fatty acid chain modification technology to chemically couple fatty acid chains with peptides or proteins. Peptide molecules are generally small and metabolize quickly in the body. By connecting one or more fatty acid side - chain molecules and binding to human albumin, the molecular weight is increased, which can extend the half - life of the drug molecule.
In terms of production, at the end of 2025, ZhiTai Bio's commercial production base was approved for production, and it has the industrial chain capabilities from early drug R & D, pilot - scale production to commercial implementation.
In terms of the team, most of the founding team of ZhiTai Bio comes from the former R & D center of Novo Nordisk. Dr. Zhang Xujia, the founder, chairman, and CEO, graduated from Peking University and was a researcher at the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 2007, he joined Novo Nordisk as the vice president of R & D, leading the establishment of Novo Nordisk's E. coli recombinant protein technology platform and more than 30 R & D projects.
In 2025, Eli Lilly's tirzepatide topped the global best - selling drugs with annual sales of $36.507 billion, and Novo Nordisk's semaglutide also achieved annual sales of $36.1 billion. The competition in the GLP - 1 metabolic field will be under long - term attention, and the extension of the half - life, innovation of dosage forms, and expansion of indications will further accelerate the market expansion.