DomesticallydevelopedCOVID-19drugtherapieslowerriskofhospitalization

Chinawillcreatebroad-spectrumtreatmentstotacklemutatedstrainsoftheCOVID-19virusanddevelopdrugswithnovelmechanismstofightthepathogen,accordingtoadocumentprovidedtoChinaDaily.

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AsofJan19,atotalof10domesticallymadeCOVID-19drugshadeitherbeengrantedofficialorconditionalmarketapprovalorwereauthorizedtotreatsymptomsofthepathogen,thedocumentstated.

ThedocumentwasissuedbythespecializedteamforCOVID-19medicineresearchanddevelopmentundertheJointPreventionandControlMechanismoftheStateCouncil,China"sCabinet.

Chinaalsohad23drugsonthekeyCOVID-19medicinelistthatwereinactivedevelopmentorundergoingreal-worldevidencestudiesafterreceivingmarketapproval,itsaid.

"Theteamwillcontinuetofacilitatethedevelopmentofsafeandeffectivetreatmentsthatcancoverthewholecourseofthediseaseandaresuitableforallpopulations,"itadded.

SincetheCOVID-19pandemicbegan,China"snovelcoronavirusdrugdevelopmentprocesshasfollowedthreebroadtechnicalpaths-stoppingthevirusfromenteringcells,inhibitingviralreplicationinthebodyandregulatingthebody"simmunesystem.

InDecember2021,Chinagrantedofficialmarketapprovaltoitsfirsthomegrownneutralizingmonoclonalneutralizingantibodycocktails-BRII-196andBRII-198.Itisacombinationtherapyadministeredthroughintravenousinfusionthatcanlowertheriskofhospitalizationanddeathbynearly80percent,accordingtoitsphase-threeclinicaltrialresults.

Meanwhile,Chinesescientistshavebeendevelopingsmall-moleculeoraltreatmentsforCOVID-19.AbreakthroughcameinJulywhenChinagrantedconditionalauthorizationfortheoralantiviralAzvudinetotreatCOVID-19.ThedrugwasoriginallyusedtotreatHIV.

Thisyear,Chinawillacceleratethedevelopmentofsmall-moleculeoraldrugs.Inmid-January,theNationalMedicalProductsAdministrationreceivedapplicationsformarketapprovalfornewantiviralsSIM0417andVV116.AnotherantiviralcalledRAY1216hadrecentlyfinishedrecruitingforitslate-stageclinicaltrials.

BesidesfindingtreatmentsforCOVID-19,Chinesescientistsareresearchingnewdrugstopreventinfectionsorregulatethebody"simmunesystem,withahandfulofcandidatescurrentlyinphasetwoorthreeclinicaltrials.SomenotableexamplesincludethetargetedinhibitordrugTDI01andHY3000peptidenasalspray.

zhangzhihao@chinadaily.com.cn