Chinese pharma sales, other industry data

Sales by Chinese pharmaceutical companies increased 21.8% overall to avalue of $4 billion in the first quarter of 2000, compared with the like, year-earlier period, and industry profits advanced 26.9% to $238.8 million, according to figures from the State Economic Commission and the State Statistical Bureau, reported by Chinese Medical News.

Sales in the drug trading sector grew 12.5% to $4.3 billion in the period, while exports rose 17.8% to $838 million, although overseas sales of chemical formulations fell 29.3%, notes CMN.

It is also reported that 490 varieties of imported drugs were used in China during 1999, and that 1,408 New Drug Certificates were granted by the authorities during the year, covering a total of 600 products. 697 of these NDCs related to western medicines, while 224 were for traditional Chinese medicines, 118 related to biological drugs and 369 were for generics.