Under an initiative for innovative drugs and the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine, the Ministry of Science and Technology has rendered its support for 285 topic-based studies. These studies have covered five major areas: 1) therapeutic drugs for major diseases that endanger people?痵 lives, including tumors, cardiocerebrovascular diseases, infections, immunity, nerve system, endocrinology, and reproduction system; 2) preventive and therapeutic drugs for major infectious diseases, including HIV, schistosomiasis, and tuberculosis; 3) researches on drug preparation, mainly on new drugs. Priority support is made available to 39 studies of advanced preparation techniques, including slow emission and skin penetration; 4) major non-patent drugs. Special projects are created for non-patent new drugs and mimic drugs, especially for 12 major non-patent drugs; 5) the secondary development of traditional Chinese medicines. These research projects have become successful role models for new drug research and development, and provided rich technical reserves and innovative sources for the sustainable development of China?痵 pharmaceutical industry.