China approves 1,000 drugs in 2010

China's food and drug watchdog said it approved 1,000 drug registration applications in 2010, 26.2 percent more than in 2009 due to an increase in the approval of generic chemicals. Among the approved drugs, chemicals represent the highest proportion at 89 percent, while Chinese traditional medicine accounts for less than 10 percent of the total, according to a report released Sunday by the State Food and Drug Administration. The report said more than 124 new drugs were approved in 2010. Domestic applications made up roughly 89 percent of the approved, among which 73 percent were generic, the report indicated. Most of these approved drugs purportedly fight infection, diabetes and diseases concerning the respiratory system and tumors. Antibiotics were the most prominent, with six places among the 10 sorts of drugs approved, which the report said shows drug manufacturers' continuous and substantial investment in antibiotics. However, the report pointed out that the antibiotics approved were all standard varieties, such as Ciprofloxacin, with no new functions or new targets. The total number of drug registration applications in 2010 was 6,294, according to the report.