Hengrui Pharma Subsidiary Receives NMPA Approval to Launch Phase III Clinical Trial of HRS9531 Injection

Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (600276.SH) announced on July 16 that its subsidiary Fujian Shengdi Pharma has received approval from China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to launch a Phase III clinical trial for HRS9531, an injectable drug targeting obesity combined with knee osteoarthritis in adult patients.

HRS9531 is a novel dual agonist that targets both the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) and the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R). The drug was developed with independently owned global intellectual-property rights, according to the company.

No drug in the same class has been approved for marketing anywhere in the world, Hengrui said, positioning HRS9531 as a potential first-in-class therapy in a therapeutic area where demand is growing alongside rising obesity rates globally.

The company disclosed that cumulative research and development spending on the HRS9531 project has reached approximately 701 million yuan (about US$97 million) to date.

Headquartered in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, Hengrui Pharma is one of China's largest pharmaceutical companies by market capitalization. The stock is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.