China approves dozens of new drugs

BEIJING — China approved a list of 48 new drugs to enter the market last year, with many of them for cancers and rare diseases, according to the country’s drug authority.

The approved drugs include 38 imported drugs, as well as 10 domestically developed new drugs.

There were 18 antineoplastic drugs on the list, which are generally used in chemotherapy to kill cancer cells, as an effective way to prolong life of cancer patients.

Anti-hepatitis C drugs and anti-AIDS products were also approved, which can largely increase the drug availability for treatment.

Roxadustat, a first-in-class oral drug for patients with anemia due to chronic kidney disease, got marketing authorization, which allows Chinese patients to benefit from the new therapy earlier than patients in the United States or Europe.

China has been putting extra focus on the healthcare sector and stepping up medical reforms. Last year, the State Council decided to drop tariffs on imported cancer-fighting medicines and encourage the importation of innovative drugs.

The approval of the new drugs will benefit more patients in the country.