China approves two locally developed oral drugs for Covid-19

BEIJING – China has approved two domestically developed oral medicines for Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms, the National Medical Products Administration said on Sunday.

The drugs, used for treating adult patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 infections, have been developed by Simcere Pharmaceutical Group and a unit of Shanghai Junshi Biosciences, the administration said in a statement on its website.

China abandoned its stringent zero-Covid policy in early December after protests against it, allowing people to travel and the virus to spread rapidly throughout the country, boosting demand for Covid-19 treatments. REUTERS More On This Topic China races to make Covid-19 drugs as Xi fears rural outbreaks Chinese take risks on black market drugs as Covid-19 surges