DATA GRAPHICS | Data Byte
Global drugs that made the grade in China in 2025
NMPA approved 60 drugs and vaccines already marketed abroad, with Merck leading the sponsors
August 14, 2026 1:16 AM UTC
China added 60 previously approved drugs and vaccines to its market in 2025 — but many of the new-to-China drugs had been available internationally for years, with a median first-approval year of 2019.
Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) leads the pack among importers of these therapies, holding the marketing authorization for five of the 60 products, including two vaccines. Most of the other companies with multiple products are among the biggest MNC pharmas, but two specialty European companies appear: Almirall S.A. (Madrid:ALM) and UCB S.A. (Euronext:UCB). ...