Jiangsu Hungrui Medicine (SHA: 600276) has been given FDA approval to begin a Phase I test of its innovative diabetes drug, Retagliptin. Hengrui says that Retagliptin is an improved version of Merck’s (NYSE: MRK) Januvia, a drug prescribed for type 2 diabetes patients who are not on insulin. Retagliptin is not available in China. Retagliptin is the first discovered-in-China chemical drug to start US clinical trials; the other China drugs in US tests are TCMs. More details...