CORXEL Gains Global Rights (Excluding Greater China) to Oral GLP-1 RA for Obesity and Diabetes Treatment

CORXEL Pharmaceuticals, a prominent biotech company focused on cardiometabolic diseases, has announced a strategic acquisition that enhances its portfolio in the treatment of obesity and diabetes. The company has secured the rights to CX11, also known as VCT220, from Vincentage for global development and commercialization, excluding Greater China. This drug is an oral small molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), designed to address cardiometabolic conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

GLP-1 RAs are recognized for their ability to facilitate weight reduction, improve insulin sensitivity, and decrease glucose levels and appetite. CX11 offers the advantage of being an oral therapy, which may increase patient convenience and accessibility while reducing manufacturing costs compared to injectable treatments. In a Phase 2 clinical study conducted in China, CX11 exhibited promising weight loss results along with a favorable safety profile. As of November 2024, a registrational Phase 3 trial targeting obese and overweight individuals has commenced in China. CORXEL is preparing to initiate a global Phase 2 study for the drug, excluding Greater China, in 2025.

Sandy Mou, the Board Executive Director and CEO of CORXEL, expressed enthusiasm about the potential of CX11, highlighting its impressive efficacy in weight management. Mou underscored the acquisition as a significant step in expanding CORXEL's pipeline into the realms of obesity and diabetes, envisioning CX11 as a possible leading oral GLP-1 RA in its class. She emphasized CORXEL’s established expertise in asset selection, clinical development, registration, and manufacturing partnerships, positioning the company to effectively penetrate the global obesity market.

Ben Li, CEO of Vincentage, expressed satisfaction with CORXEL’s commitment to advancing the development of VCT220 (CX11) on a global scale. Acknowledging CORXEL’s robust clinical development and promotional capabilities, Li anticipated that CORXEL would expedite clinical trials and eventually deliver this innovative oral GLP-1 molecule to patients worldwide.

CORXEL, headquartered in both the United States and China, was founded in 2019. The company is dedicated to delivering innovative cardiometabolic therapies to underserved populations internationally. With a dynamic asset pipeline, industry-leading talent, and a patient-centered approach, CORXEL aims to effectuate significant and enduring impacts on patients' lives.

The company's portfolio includes three assets with global rights and two with Greater China rights, all in advanced clinical stages. The globally rights-owned assets comprise CX11 for obesity and diabetes, JX10 for acute ischemic stroke, and JX09 for hypertension. Within Greater China, the company holds rights to Etripamil and LNZ100. CORXEL continues to strengthen its position in the biotech sector, focusing on advancing therapies that address pressing health challenges on a global scale.

Vincentage, a clinical-stage biotech company, specializes in developing novel small molecule drugs targeting metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. The company is committed to pioneering small molecule treatments that address various mechanisms and targets in metabolic-related diseases.