A drug recently produced by  the Northeast Pharmaceutical Factory in northeast China's Liaoning Province has brought hope to China's  acquired immune deficiency  syndrome (AIDS) sufferers.

   Zidovudine or AZT, the first AIDS drug to have approval for  large-scale, world-wide production, is very effective in reducing  mother-to-child transmission of the virus.

  In the past due to the lack of locally made anti-AIDS drugs,  many patients in China have had to use imported AZT drugs which  usually cost  70,000 yuan (about 8,434 US dollars) per person  annually.

   At the end of 2000, China was reported to have 22,517 people  infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. As most live in  rural or poverty-stricken areas, drug costs have been astronomical.

   Analysts believe that the lower-priced AZT produced by  Northeast Pharmaceutical Factory has a higher curative effect and  will greatly ease patients' symptoms.

   Sources say that the drug has already been widely exported.

   It is learned the related sectors will use their technical  advantage to develop more derivatives and to build the nation's  first anti-AIDS drug base.

   To date, there are 17 varieties of anti-AIDS drugs in the world, seven of which have been imported by China.