Out-of-pocket price of Crizotinib after medical insurance in 2025

Crizotinib is the world's first approved ALK inhibitor and a landmark drug in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It prevents the continued proliferation of tumor cells by inhibiting the ALK fusion gene and ROS1 rearrangement signaling pathways, thus bringing a new treatment model to lung cancer patients with specific molecular types. Before the advent of crizotinib, the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer mainly relied on chemotherapy, with limited efficacy. However, the emergence of crizotinib has prolonged the progression-free survival of some patients.

In China, the original drug crizotinib has been launched on the market and has entered the national medical insurance drug catalog. This is one of the core information that patients are most concerned about. According to the market price, the common specifications of crizotinib are 250 mg 60 tablets and 200 mg 60 tablets. The price of each box may be more than 10,000 yuan. If it is completely self-funded, long-term use will undoubtedly cause huge financial pressure. However, thanks to medical insurance negotiations, after crizotinib was included in medical insurance, the actual out-of-pocket amount of patients dropped significantly. The reimbursement ratio varies slightly in different regions, generally ranging from 50% to 70%. Calculated in this way, the patient's monthly out-of-pocket expenses have been reduced from tens of thousands of yuan to about a few thousand yuan, which has greatly improved the accessibility of medication.

It is worth noting that the National Medical Insurance Administration has continued to promote the policy of "negotiating prices to reduce prices and benefiting patients" in recent years. After several rounds of negotiations, the prices of many innovative targeted drugs have dropped significantly. The medical insurance coverage of crizotinib not only means a reduction in drug prices, but also represents the country’s concern for ALK-positive lung cancer patients. For patients with limited financial conditions, the burden can be further reduced through local medical assistance, charity assistance and other means.

Reference materials:https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB08865