New drug licenses in first half dwindled sharply

The Korea Food and Administration (KFDA) says new drug licenses in the first half of this year totaled 389 from 121 pharmaceutical firms, a whopping decrease of 45.3 percent over the same period of last year (712 items). Of the licenses, OTCs accounted for 212, prescription drugs for 155, and raw materials for 22.

By therapeutic category, antipyretics, analgesics & anti-inflammatory agents (...