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World / Asia

China approves two domestically developed COVID drugs

Published: 29 Jan 2023 - 02:54 pm | Last Updated: 29 Jan 2023 - 03:01 pm
Patients lie on beds at the emergency department of Zhongshan Hospital, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China January 3, 2023. Reuters/Staff

Patients lie on beds at the emergency department of Zhongshan Hospital, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China January 3, 2023. Reuters/Staff

Reuters

BEIJING: China has approved two domestically developed oral medicines for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms, the National Medical Products Administration said on Sunday.

The drugs, used for treating adult patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 infections, have been developed by Simcere Pharmaceutical Group <2096. HK> and a unit of Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co Ltd, the administration said in a statement on its website.

China abandoned its stringent "zero COVID" policy in early December after protests against it, allowing people to travel and the virus to spread rapidly throughout the country, boosting demand for COVID treatments.