China Medical News

On December 27^th, China's first oral antiviral drug, danoprevir (ASC08), for treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) is going through the final approval procedure with the CFDA for general use, said Wu Jinzi, the chief of the development team at Ascletis Pharmaceuticals. The drug requires a 12 week course of treatment, and clinical trials have shown that it can cure 90% of HCV patients.

China has more than 8.5 million people with HCV. HCV can develop into liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and even liver cancer. An HCV drug sold by American drug maker Gilead costs USD 84,000 for a course of therapy, or around USD 1,000 per day, which is far beyond the means of almost all sufferers. Wu said the price of danoprevir has not yet been set, but it will be much cheaper than the American drug. (Source: Xinhua)