Efsubaglutide Alfa (Diabegone®) Included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List, Expanding Access for Chinese Patients
At the launch of the 2025 National Reimbursement Drug List and the first commercial-insurance innovative drug list in Guangzhou, the National Healthcare Security Administration announced 114 new additions to the national list, including 50 Class 1 innovative medicines, and 19 medicines on the first commercial-insurance innovative drug list. The additions expand coverage for major and chronic diseases.
Innogen simultaneously announced that its independently developed ultra-long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist, efsubaglutide alfa (Diabegone®), had been included in the 2025 National Reimbursement Drug List. The inclusion would take effect with the new list on 1 January 2026, providing a more accessible, high-quality innovative treatment option for people with type 2 diabetes in China.
Efsubaglutide alfa (Diabegone®) is a domestically developed ultra-long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist characterised by a long half-life, infrequent dosing and glucose-dependent regulation. The announcement describes it as the world's third and Asia's first ultra-long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist to reach commercialisation, and the first original Chinese medicine in its class.
In pivotal trials of monotherapy and treatment added to metformin, efsubaglutide alfa significantly reduced HbA1c, produced clinically meaningful weight loss and improved several metabolic measures, offering an approach to integrated glucose lowering, weight reduction and broader metabolic management.
The company expects national reimbursement to substantially improve access to Diabegone® throughout China and reduce the financial burden of long-term treatment. It aims to help more people with type 2 diabetes, including those with obesity and metabolic risks, benefit earlier, while supporting more standardised and systematic metabolic care in primary healthcare institutions.
Founded in 2014, Innogen is an innovative biopharmaceutical company focused on metabolic diseases including diabetes and obesity. It has more than ten innovative programmes in clinical and nonclinical development, addressing glucose control, weight management and broader metabolic intervention.
The company said it would use national reimbursement policies supporting innovative medicines to strengthen clinical use and the evidence base for Diabegone®, advance the development of further metabolic disease medicines and bring them to market, and work with partners to bring original Chinese innovation to more patients.