NHC unveils 4th catalog of branded drugs to boost generic alternatives

China released its fourth catalog of brand-name drugs on Sunday, aiming to foster the development of generic alternatives to address unmet clinical needs, according to the National Health Commission.

The list, jointly issued by the commission and three other government bodies, includes 21 branded medicines in fields such as oncology, neurology, assisted reproduction and diagnostic imaging.

The selected drugs prioritize those with novel targets and mechanisms, such as difelikefalin, a medication used to relieve moderate to severe itching in hemodialysis patients with chronic kidney disease, and four radiopharmaceutical therapies that are not yet available domestically.

The list also highlights internationally recommended first-line treatments, such as the insomnia medication suvorexant, which aids sleep onset and maintenance while minimizing daytime drowsiness and fatigue.

In support of the national strategy to encourage births, the catalog includes advanced reproductive health products, including gel and suppository formulations designed to reduce redness, swelling, pain and other adverse reactions commonly associated with long-term injectable therapies during in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer cycles.

Furthermore, emphasis is placed on medicines with established clinical use in China. For example, deflazacort, a treatment for the rare genetic disorder Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is included.

Since 2019, China has released four such catalogs, each aimed at accelerating the development of high-quality, affordable generic alternatives to original brand-name drugs.