Drug development is all about pushing boundaries, and that is the case at Hutchison China Meditech, or Chi-Med, as it is known. The Shanghai-based pharmaceuticals company, whose biggest shareholder is Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison Group, is on the verge of launching the first mainstream drug developed in China from design to production.
Fruquintinib, a potential treatment for various cancers, has been in development for about a decade.
The drug passed a major milestone in March when Chi-Med unveiled positive phase III trial results for patients with advanced colorectal cancer, which was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual gathering in Chicago last week.
Yesterday, as expected, Chi-Med submitted its application to market the drug to the China Food and Drug Administration, triggering