Eli Lilly(LLY.US)'s new drug "Larequimab" filed for approval in China. The global sales are expected to reach $400 million in 2025.

On March 3rd, according to the official website of the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE), Eli Lilly’s (LLY.US) application for the listing of the new drug class 3.1, Risankizumab Injection, has been accepted. Public information shows that Risankizumab is an interleukin-13 (IL-13) inhibitor that selectively and high-affinity blocks IL-13 signaling. This drug is the first IL-13 monoclonal antibody submitted for listing in China. Based on publicly available information and clinical trial progress, it is presumed that the current application is for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

Risankizumab is a monoclonal antibody that selectively targets and neutralizes IL-13 with high binding affinity and slow dissociation rate. Lebrikizumab binds to the IL-13 cytokine at a site overlapping with the IL-13Rα1/IL-4Rα heterodimer binding site, preventing the formation of this receptor complex and inhibiting IL-13 signaling. IL-13 is a key cytokine in atopic dermatitis, driving type 2 inflammation in the skin, leading to skin barrier dysfunction, itching, thickening, and infection.

Risankizumab was approved for marketing in the European Union, Japan, and the United States between 2023 and 2024, for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in adolescents aged 12 and above and adults. Eli Lilly holds exclusive rights to develop and commercialize lebrikizumab globally, except in Europe. According to Lilly’s 2025 annual report, Risankizumab’s global sales are approximately $408 million.

It is understood that currently, only two IL-13 monoclonal antibodies have been approved globally: Tralokinumab by Leo Pharma and Risankizumab by Eli Lilly.