What is the price of Tremelimumab in China?

Tremelimumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, is an anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody. It mainly relieves T cell inhibitory signals and activates the patient's own immune system to attack tumors, thereby exerting anti-tumor effects. This type of drug occupies a core position in tumor immunotherapy and is particularly suitable for patients with certain refractory solid tumors. In October 2022, the US FDA approved the marketing of temsitumumab for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) and specific types of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC).

In hepatocellular carcinoma, temsitumumab combined with durvalumab (Durvalumab) can be used as an innovative treatment option to activate the immune system and improve patient survival expectations; in non-small cell lung cancer, the drug can be combined with durvalumab and platinum-based chemotherapy drugs for metastatic cases without EGFR mutations or ALK gene abnormalities. These combination regimens have shown good efficacy and controllable safety in international multi-center clinical trials.

In mainland China, temsitumumab is not yet on the market and therefore cannot be included in medical insurance reimbursement. Patients have limited direct access to drugs in the country and mainly purchase them through Hong Kong or overseas medical institutions. Public information shows that the specification of temsitumumab is 300mg/15ml, and the price in Hong Kong and some overseas regions is about 100,000 yuan, but the specific price will fluctuate depending on the region, channel and exchange rate. Currently, there is no generic version of this drug on the market, and its high price has become one of the main limitations in its clinical use. However, as the global oncology community's attention to this drug increases, generic drugs may enter the market in the future, thereby reducing the cost of treatment. Although it still needs approval for its domestic launch, temsitumumab has important potential in the immunotherapy of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and specific types of lung cancer, providing patients with a new treatment option.

Reference: https://www.drugs.com/mtm/tremelimumab.html