China's top regulator grants approvals to a record number of novel drugs, including multiple oncology products from domestic companies, which are increasingly shifting to innovation, supported by positive regulatory changes over the past few years. 

Pandemic-related collaborations between Hoth/VCU; Sorrento/Mt. Sinai Health; Audax/Northeastern U.; Alkido/U. of Maryland, Baltimore; Active Motif/Hisun BioRay/Fudan U. and more.

In a preliminary assessment of repurposed COVID-19 treatments by a government-appointed panel to assess the readiness and potential of a drug to be used in India, favipiravir and tocilizumab have emerged as front-runners. With Strides Pharma exporting the antiviral and Glenmark set to begin clinical trials, even the industry is supporting favipiravir, which is already in studies in Japan and China.

As China is poised to supply medical products to fight the coronavirus around the world, a battle to banish its image of poor product quality is on.