French pharmaceutical company Sanofi announced on Nov 17 that its innovative biological agent Dupixent has been approved by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration for the treatment of asthma in individuals aged 12 and older.

Asthma is the top respiratory disease in China in terms of the number of patients, and has huge unmet medical needs.

A national study in 2019 showed that the morbidity of asthma among individuals aged 20 and above was 4.2 percent, and the numbers have been rising every year. Between 55 and 70 percent of the patients were in poorly controlled disease situations.

Dupixent brings a targeted etiologic treatment option to patients suffering from poorly controlled asthma, said Wayne Shi, president of Sanofi Greater China.

"This is also the company's 10th new product or indication approved in China this year. This shows the unprecedented speed we have achieved in bringing innovative products to the market to meet the health needs of the Chinese people and making contributions to the Healthy China 2030 Initiative," he added.

This is the sixth indication for the innovative injection Dupixent that has been approved in China over the past four years and the first in the respiratory field.