The present invention provides binding agents comprising peptides capable ofbinding myostatin and inhibiting its activity. In one embodiment the bindingagent comprises at least one myostatin-binding peptide attached directly orindirectly to at least one vehicle such as a polymer or an Fc domain. Thebinding agents of the present invention produced increased lean muscle masswhen administered to animals and decreased fat to muscle ratios. Therepeuticcompositions containing the binding agents of the present invention are usefulfor treating muscle-wasting disorders and other metabolic disorders includingdiabetes and obesity.
