China’s State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) and the Guangdong Provincial Government recently signed an agreement establishing Guangdong as a priority area for pharmaceutical technology transfer, drug manufacturing technology transfer, and inter-provincial manufacturing consignment.
The agreement gives Guangdong’s provincial government powers to conduct their own inspections and approve applications without going through central SFDA channels. Though specifics are yet unclear, it appears that Guangdong will have its own provincial version of the SFDA which will inspect manufacturing and R&D sites within its boundaries as well as conduct its own registrations. The provincial mechanism should shorten wait times for pharmaceutical approval and speed technology transfer for Chinese drug manufacturers.