A system of standardization for the production of traditional
Chinese medicines (TCM) is to be fully established by the end of
2010, according to Li Boxi, a researcher from the State Council's
Development Research Center.
He announced the decision at the Sixth Asia Pacific
Pharmaceuticals Roundtable earlier this week in Shanghai, a
gathering of many international pharmaceutical giants and
experts.
"In China, TCM now holds about one-fourth market share, but
contributes approximately 40 percent of the profits of the
pharmaceutical sector," said Li.
"If we can determine the active components in TCM and accord
them with international standards, we will be able to promote them
to a wider international market," said Jiang Zhenwei, general
manager of the Shanghai Medicines and Health Products Import and
Export Company.
The Chinese government is paying more attention to the
innovation and development of TCM, and has included it in its next
five-year plan, according to Li.
The first TCM pharmaceutical, a cancer treatment, will hopefully
be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US and
go into clinical testing early next year.
Samantha Du from Hutchison MediPharma, under Hong Kong's
Hutchison Whampoa Limited, said that they plan to introduce many
more medicines to the international market after this. "The biggest
challenge for us to introduce TCM to the world is how to probe
their exact chemical composition, and define their clear effects
and side effects."
Hutchison MediPharma opened its new research center, focused on
botanical medicine development, in Pudong of Shanghai at the end of
last month, and has invested US$30 million into its first
phase.
Hutchison Whampoa signed a preliminary agreement with Guangzhou
Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. to form a 50-50 medical joint
venture in Guangzhou, Guangdong
Province, which will mainly involve research and development,
production and marketing of TCM.
"Hutchison is exploring more joint work with big local Chinese
medicine producers," said Du.
Two pharmaceutical giants, Roche and Pfizer, each established
research and development centers and regional centers in Shanghai
at the end of last month.
(China Daily November 4, 2004)