La Jolla, California-based Leios Therapeutics has signed an exclusive licensing agreement granting subsidiaries of China Medical System Holdings Limited (HKEX: 867; SGX: 8A8) rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize 10XB-101 — a proprietary injectable polidocanol formulation for focal fat reduction and body contouring — across mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. CMS also made a strategic equity investment in Leios in a separate transaction. Financial terms were not disclosed.
10XB-101 is described by the company as a minimally invasive injectable designed to induce targeted adipolysis through disruption of fat cell membranes. Its active ingredient, polidocanol, is a synthetic non-ionic detergent with an established sclerosing history; Leios's differentiation rests on its proprietary formulation and clinical data package rather than the molecule itself. In a completed Phase IIb study in submental fat reduction, the company reported that 64% and 70% of completers in the 3.0% and 4.5% dose groups, respectively, achieved a grade 2 or greater improvement on both clinician-reported and patient-reported submental fat scales, compared with 0% on placebo. Leios said it expects to commence a pivotal trial in early 2027.
The CMS deal is Leios's second major regional licensing and equity transaction in 2026, following a partnership with BNC Korea in January covering South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
CMS's focus on specialty pharmaceuticals spans cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic, central nervous system, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and skin health. The company has been building a medical aesthetics vertical and describes its skin health business as a leading player in its segment. 10XB-101 would represent CMS's primary injectable fat reduction asset for the Greater China market.