BEIJING, 12th June, 2025 (WAM) -- China's top drug regulator has approved a homegrown flu treatment that acts on a novel protein target, adding to the arsenal of weapons against the infectious disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year.
The first-in-class innovative medicine, onradivir, has been authorised for treating adult patients with uncomplicated influenza A, the National Medical Products Administration said in a statement.
It was jointly developed by Raynovent in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and top respiratory disease research institutions.
"The approval of this medication provides patients with a new treatment option," the administration said.
According to China Daily, the medicine is the world's first anti-influenza drug that targets a protein of the virus's RNA polymerase called PB2. "The new medicine features rapid, potent and low-resistance efficacy and offers a Chinese solution to tackling global influenza epidemics," the company said.
The medicine, administered as a 0.6-gram tablet, is recommended to be taken in three doses daily for five consecutive days.
Globally, there are about 1 billion influenza cases, including 3 to 5 million severe cases, leading to 290,000 to 650,000 deaths annually.