What Corxel Pharmaceuticals does

Corxel Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2019 by RTW Investments and headquartered in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, with operational offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Denmark. The company is developing oral small-molecule therapies for cardiometabolic diseases — the leading global cause of death and disability — with a pipeline spanning obesity/overweight, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and hypertension.

The core proprietary asset is CX11 (VCT220), an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist licensed ex-China from Vincentage Pharma in December 2024. CX11 is designed for once-daily administration without food/water restrictions or cold-chain storage, demonstrated 11.5% body weight reduction at 36 weeks in a 246-patient U.S. Phase 2 trial and 12.2–12.4% at 52 weeks in a 840-patient China Phase 3, with favorable GI tolerability and no hepatic safety signal across 1,500+ participants. The pipeline also includes JX10 (formerly BIIB131), a plasminogen modulator licensed from Biogen in January 2024 in a global Phase 2/3 registrational trial for AIS that extends the treatment window from the standard 4.5-hour t-PA limit to 4.5–24 hours from last known well, plus preclinical CX12 (oral amylin receptor agonist) and JX09 (aldosterone synthase inhibitor for hypertension). The cardiometabolic focus has been sharpened by divesting non-core Greater China rights to CARDAMYST (etripamil, to Everest Medicines, March 2026, $30M upfront plus $20M milestones) and LNZ100/VIZZ (presbyopia, to Everest Medicines, June 2026, up to $85M in milestones plus royalties).

The business model is licensing-and-development rather than commercial sales: the company is pre-revenue with no approved products, monetizing assets through upfront and milestone payments from regional partners (Everest Medicines for Greater China commercialization of in-licensed assets) while retaining global rights to its proprietary pipeline for future commercialization or strategic partnership. Capital is sourced from a syndicate of healthcare-specialist investors including RTW Investments (founder), Bayer ($35M equity, January 2024, with privileged CV/ophthalmology negotiation rights), and a $287M Series D1 (January 2026) led by SR One and TCGX with participation from RA Capital, HBM Healthcare Investments, and others. Leadership brings direct lineage to the GLP-1 franchise: CMO Bo Liang led global clinical development of Semaglutide and Icodec at Novo Nordisk, and CFO Kevin Xie previously led Gracell Biotechnologies through its Nasdaq IPO and $1.2B AstraZeneca acquisition.

Name

Corxel Pharmaceuticals

Legal name

Corxel Pharmaceuticals (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (箕星药业科技（上海）有限公司)

Website

https://corxelbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Corxel Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oral small-molecule therapies for cardiometabolic diseases — including CX11 (oral GLP-1 RA for obesity/T2DM) and JX10 (plasminogen modulator for acute ischemic stroke) — serving global patient populations via a tri-regional US/China/Europe development platform backed by RTW Investments and Bayer.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cardiometabolic Therapeutics

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Cardiology & Vascular Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Companion Diagnostics (CDx) Development & Commercialization (HLAAANAC)

Keywords

• Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical
• Cardiometabolic disease therapies
• Oral small molecule drugs
• GLP-1 receptor agonists
• Acute ischemic stroke treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Licensing and Asset Monetization: CORXEL generates near-term value through licensing and asset sale transactions. The company sold Greater China rights to LNZ100/VIZZ to Everest Medicines (June 2026) and CARDAMYST to Everest Medicines (March 2026), receiving upfront payments and milestone payments. This model funds the global development of its proprietary cardiometabolic pipeline.
2. Future Product Sales (Pre-Revenue): CORXEL is a clinical-stage biopharma with no current product revenue. Its proprietary pipeline (CX11 for obesity/T2DM, JX10 for AIS, CX12 in preclinical) is under development globally, with plans to commercialize upon regulatory approval. The company is backed by $287M Series D1 financing to fund development costs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Corxel Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of oral small-molecule therapies for cardiometabolic diseases. Its lead asset CX11 is an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist for obesity, overweight, and Type 2 Diabetes, supported by Phase 2 U.S. and Phase 3 China data. The company also advances JX10, a thrombolytic/anti-inflammatory agent for acute ischemic stroke, and preclinical candidates CX12 (oral amylin RA) and JX09 (aldosterone synthase inhibitor) for hypertension.

Product overview

CORXEL is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of oral small molecule compounds for cardiometabolic diseases. The core pipeline includes CX11 (oral GLP-1 RA for obesity, overweight, and T2DM), JX10 (thrombolytic agent for acute ischemic stroke), CX12 (amylin RA in preclinical stage), and JX09 (aldosterone synthase inhibitor for hypertension). The company previously held rights to LNZ100/VIZZ (presbyopia treatment) and CARDAMYST (etripamil, PSVT treatment) which were sold to Everest Medicines, allowing CORXEL to focus entirely on its cardiometabolic pipeline.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CX11 (VCT220) Investigational oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist designed for once-daily administration in adults with obesity, overweight with comorbidities, and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Licensed worldwide ex-Greater China from Vincentage Pharma in December 2024.
• JX10 (formerly BIIB131) Investigational plasminogen modulator with thrombolytic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative activities for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), designed to extend the treatment window from the standard 4.5 hours to 4.5–24 hours from last known well. Licensed globally excluding Japan from Biogen.
• CX12 Investigational oral small molecule amylin receptor agonist in preclinical development for obesity. Designed to regulate satiety, slow gastric emptying, and suppress post-prandial glucagon, with advantages in stability, manufacturing cost, and cold-chain-free storage versus peptide amylin agonists.
• JX09 Highly selective aldosterone synthase inhibitor for the treatment of hypertension, part of Corxel's cardiometabolic pipeline.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 11.5% body weight reduction at 36 weeks with CX11 (120–200 mg daily oral) in 246 U.S. Phase 2 trial participants with obesity/overweight
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered key regional partner, core pipeline partner and licensed asset partner.

• Everest Medicineskey regional partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2026Everest Medicines acquired Greater China rights to LNZ100/VIZZ (presbyopia treatment) from CORXEL in June 2026. CORXEL eligible to receive up to $85M in regulatory and sales milestones plus tiered mid single-digit to low double-digit royalties on net sales. NDA submitted in China September 2025, expected approval Q1 2027.
• Everest Medicineskey regional partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2026Everest Medicines acquired Greater China rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize CARDAMYST (etripamil) nasal spray from CORXEL in March 2026, paying $30M upfront plus up to $20M in milestone payments. Everest has a strong cardiovascular franchise and commercialization platform in China targeting 3–6 million PSVT patients.
• Vincentage Pharmacore pipeline partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024CORXEL licensed worldwide ex-Greater China rights to CX11/VCT220 (oral GLP-1 RA) from Vincentage in December 2024. Vincentage retained Greater China rights and is conducting Phase 3 in China. Vincentage reported 12.4% weight loss at 52 weeks in China Phase 3 (May 2026). CORXEL is conducting Phase 2 in the U.S. and Phase 2 in T2DM globally.
• Biogenlicensed asset partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CORXEL acquired global rights (excluding Japan) to JX10 (formerly BIIB131) from Biogen in January 2024. TMS Co. retains Japan rights and will collaborate with CORXEL through a Joint Development Committee to advance the global registrational trial.
• LENZ Therapeuticslicensed asset partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022CORXEL acquired Greater China rights to LNZ100 (aceclidine eye drops, brand name VIZZ in the U.S.) from LENZ Therapeutics in April 2022. LNZ100 received U.S. FDA approval in July 2025. CORXEL subsequently sold Greater China rights to Everest Medicines in June 2026 for up to $85M in milestones plus royalties.
• Milestone Pharmaceuticalslicensed asset partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021CORXEL entered into an exclusive license agreement with Milestone Pharmaceuticals in May 2021 for development and commercialization of etripamil nasal spray for PSVT and other cardiovascular indications in Greater China. CARDAMYST received FDA approval in December 2025. CORXEL subsequently sold these rights to Everest Medicines in March 2026.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group: China-based pharmaceutical company with a growing cardiometabolic pipeline including innovative diabetes and obesity therapies. Operates primarily in the Greater China market and represents a comparable regional commercialization model and pipeline focus for Corxel's CX11.

Broad incumbents

• Roche: Global pharmaceutical leader with an acute ischemic stroke franchise (tenecteplase/Activase) and broader cardiometabolic pipeline. Relevant as a large-cap incumbent competing against Corxel's JX10 in the AIS treatment window-expansion indication.
• Eli Lilly and Company: Global pharmaceutical leader with the dominant injectable GLP-1 franchise (Mounjaro/Zepbound, tirzepatide) and a Phase 3 oral GLP-1 candidate (orforglipron). Represents the benchmark incumbent Corxel must compete against in the cardiometabolic / obesity market.
• Novo Nordisk: Global leader in diabetes and obesity care with semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and the only currently marketed oral GLP-1 (Rybelsus). The company's deep cardiometabolic commercial infrastructure and pipeline set the standard Corxel's CX11 must beat or partner against. Corxel's CMO Bo Liang led global development of Semaglutide and Icodec at Novo Nordisk.
• Pfizer: Global pharmaceutical incumbent developing oral GLP-1 candidates (e.g., danuglipron) for obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Relevant as a large-cap incumbent competing in the same oral GLP-1 category as CX11, with vastly greater commercial scale.

Emerging players

• Sciwind Biosciences: China-based clinical-stage biotech developing ecnoglutide, a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist for diabetes and obesity. Comparable to Corxel's CX11 in modality and target indication within the China cardiometabolic market; represents direct regional competition.
• Innovent Biologics: China-based biopharmaceutical company developing mazdutide (dual GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist) for obesity and diabetes, with NMPA approvals in China. A key Asia-Pacific competitor to Corxel's CX11 in the cardiometabolic space and a potential partner given overlapping China-focused development infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Viking Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders, including oral and subcutaneous dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists (VK2735). Directly comparable to Corxel on cardiometabolic focus, GLP-1 mechanism, and clinical-stage obesity pipeline.
• Terns Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage biopharma developing oral small molecule therapies for obesity (TERN-601, oral GLP-1 RA) and other chronic diseases. Direct competitor to Corxel's CX11 in the oral GLP-1 cardiometabolic space with comparable modality and indication focus.
• Structure Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., GSBR-1290) for obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Closest direct competitor to Corxel's CX11 in the oral non-peptide GLP-1 space, with similar target indication focus and comparable Phase 2 weight-loss data.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/corxel-pharmaceuticals

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Corxel Pharmaceuticals