The Drug Development Centre (DDC) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong was established in 2000 with a total support of HK$8.4 million from Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Fund ($7.7 million) and private source ($0.7million). The Centre was created to provide a complete spectrum of studies required to take an investigational drug to market as well as performing a wide variety of services relating to quality, safety and efficacy of both western i.e. conventional drugs and herbal medicines.