NANJING, China, Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Simcere Pharmaceutical Group ("Simcere" or the "Company") (SCR.), a leading pharmaceutical company specializing in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of branded generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals in China, today announced that it has received the new drug approval from the State Food and Drug Administration ("SFDA") for Iremod.

Iremod, which was independently developed by Simcere, will be the first Iguratimod drug on the global market. It is a new drug in the category of Disease Modifying Anti-rheumatic Drugs ("DMARDS"), and will be primarily used in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical studies demonstrate that Iremod can significantly alleviate symptoms caused by active rheumatoid arthritis.

Mr. Ren Jinsheng, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Simcere, commented: "Bringing Iremod to the Chinese market will allow millions of patients suffering from active rheumatoid arthritis to enjoy higher quality treatment. Iremod will provide new and more effective options for doctors. This approval is a breakthrough for Simcere. We will continue to put our efforts and resources into developing and producing effective and innovative medicines for patients."