AstraZeneca PLC (LON:AZN.LN) has got approval in China to market its roxadustat drug as a treatment for patients with anaemia who have chronic kidney disease and are on dialysis.
The FTSE 100-listed drugmaker said its partner FibroGen China, a subsidiary of FibroGen Inc. received marketing authorisation from the Chinese National Medical Products Administration for orally-administered roxadustat.
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The firm said it will be responsible for bringing the drug to market in the country, while FibroGen will manage the processes of manufacturing, regulation and continued research.
AstraZeneca said it expects to launch roxadustat in China in the second half of 2019.
Sean Bohen, AstraZeneca’s executive vice president, Global Medicines Development and chief medical officer, said: "Roxadustat is a long-awaited, first-in-class medicine for patients with anaemia in chronic kidney disease that are on dialysis.
“This first approval of roxadustat in China is a significant step towards achieving our ambition to transform care in a condition where prevalence in China is increasing."