Pell Bio Med Technology (TPE:6949) unit Peptide (Shanghai) Pharmaceutical Technology secured approval from China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to begin the Phase I clinical trial for its oral drug candidate PP011, according to a Tuesday Taiwan Exchange filing.

The trial will be conducted in healthy subjects and targets rheumatoid arthritis (RA), marking the first human study for the novel therapy.

The company said the development program is planned through Phase two and Phase three trials before potential new drug application submission.

Phase one completion is expected in the first quarter of 2027, it said.