What is sparsentan/sparsentan and how much does it cost?

Sparsentan, which contains the active substance sparsentan, is a drug used to treat adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy, a disease in which the kidneys gradually stop working and eventually fail, requiring the patient to undergo dialysis (the process of removing unwanted substances or excess fluid from the blood) or a kidney transplant. Primary means the cause of the disease is unknown. The drug will be used in patients whose urine contains at least 1 gram of protein per day or whose urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) ≥1.5g/g (another measure of protein levels in urine).

The active substance in sparsentan sparsentan blocks the receptors (targets) of two hormones called endothelin and angiotensin, which are involved in the process that causes kidney damage. By blocking these receptors, spaxentan reduces protein levels in the urine (albuminuria, a sign of kidney damage) and helps slow the progression of the disease. Spaxentan is only available by prescription and comes in tablet form to be taken by mouth once daily. The most common side effects may include hypotension, hyperkalemia (high potassium levels in the blood), dizziness, and peripheral edema (swelling of the arms and legs).

Currently, there is no original sparsentan drug on the market in China, so its price is still unclear. The drug has been on the market overseas for a relatively short time. The main specifications of the European version include 200 mg 30 tablets and 400 mg 30 tablets. The overall cost is relatively high. At the same time, generic drugs of sparsentan are also sold in overseas markets. Its ingredients are roughly the same as the original drug. Common pharmaceutical companies may include the Laos Lucius Pharmaceutical version. The main specification is 400mg*30 tablets, and the price is relatively cheap.

Reference materials:https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/filspari