China Biopharma initiates sofalcone trial

Beijing-based China Biopharmaceuticals Holdings, a Chinese company focused on the development, manufacturing and marketing of innovative drugs in China, has announced the initiation of clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sofalcone for the treatment of digestive ulcers. CHBP is one of only three companies approved by the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) to conduct clinical studies for this drug in China. The evaluation will be conducted in six hospitals throughout China, and are expected to be completed within one year.

Sofalcone is a mucoprotective agent with anti-Helicobacter pylori activity, indicated for digestive ulcer and gastroenteritis. In preclinical tests, the compound produced a significant reduction in ulcer size as well as a substantial reduction in the number of H pylori colonies in infected gnotobiotic mice. The market size of antiulcer drugs in China is approximately 12.0 billion renminbi ($1.5 billion), increasing 10% per year.