China: new registration standards on biologic, chemical pharmaceuticals go into effect

China’s pharmaceutical regulatory agency has changed the way it categorizes chemical and biologic drugs, according to a series of notifications that went into effect July 1. The new drug registration categories released by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) better delineate the levels of innovation of preventive and therapeutic biologics and of some in vitro diagnostic reagents. Manufacturers have until October 1 to comply with the new standards.