SBP GROUP (01177) has announced that its subsidiary, Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., has received approval from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China's National Medical Products Administration to initiate clinical research for TQF6422 injection, a Class 1 innovative drug independently developed by the company. The investigational therapy, an ActRII A/B monoclonal antibody, is intended for weight management in adults with obesity, or in individuals who are overweight with at least one weight-related comorbidity.

TQF6422 is a fully human IgG1 subtype monoclonal antibody that targets ActRII A/B. By specifically binding to these receptors, it potently blocks signal transduction mediated by ligands such as activins and myostatin, promoting skeletal muscle growth while enhancing fat breakdown. This dual mechanism offers the potential for simultaneous fat reduction and muscle gain.

The ActRII pathway includes two primary subtypes, ActRII A and ActRII B, which are predominantly found in fat and muscle cells. In adipocytes, activin ligands binding to ActRII receptors drive lipid storage and visceral fat accumulation, serving as a key factor in the development of central obesity. In muscle cells, ligands such as activins and myostatin act through ActRII receptors to directly suppress muscle growth and induce atrophy, whereas blocking this signaling pathway can inhibit muscle wasting and promote muscle mass accretion. Consequently, targeting the ActRII pathway holds the potential to concurrently improve both fat mass and lean body mass.