Photo/Shetuwang

Nov. 29 (NBD) -- The National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) on Thursday held a press conference to introduce progress of China's national medical insurance catalog.

National Business Daily (NBD) learned on the scene that 97 pharmaceuticals - 70 new entrants and 27 renewed drugs - will be included into the catalog, with their prices slashed on average by 60.7 percent and 26.4 percent, respectively.

A PD-1/PD-L1 cancer treatment drug will also be included into the catalog for the first time, and the prices of three new drugs for hepatitis C will be reduced by an average of 85 percent, according to the NHSA.

Imported drugs undoubtedly make up the majority of the pharmaceuticals successfully negotiated this time, reaching 49, accounting for more than a half. Among them, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and Novartis (NYSE: NVS) are the biggest winners, both getting 7 products included.

Domestically speaking, three products of Hengrui Medicine (600276.SH) were selected, the most among Chinese pharmaceutical companies.

Email: lansuying@nbd.com.cn