Taiwan FDA approved a record breaking 170 new drugs in 2015

In order to increase the nation’s access to new drugs, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has sped up the review procedure for new drugs. According to the TFDA, 170 new drugs were approved last year, up by 30%. This was a record breaking achievement.

Among the approved new drugs, 13% are cancer drugs. They also included two new drugs which were developed and had their world debut in Taiwan, bringing benefits to Taiwanese patients with hyperphosphatemia and metastatic pancreatic cancer, according to a posting on the web site of the local pharma association, the IRPMA.

According to the TFDA’s data, 27 cases out of the total 170 approved cases are new drugs developed in Taiwan, and 143 are imported drugs. The number of successful applications filed by local developers has been on a rise five years in a row.