Is Opicapone expensive overseas?

Opicapone (Opicapone) is considered an adjunctive treatment for adults with Parkinson's disease and end-dose motor fluctuations or "off" episodes whose symptoms are not stabilized by combined treatment with levodopa and a dopa decarboxylase inhibitor (such as carbidopa). As a catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor (COMT), opicapone possesses pyridine N-oxide residues in its structure, providing high-affinity COMT inhibition and avoiding cytotoxicity. Opicapone does not cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) u200bu200band only inhibits peripheral COMT enzymes.

According to clinical trials, 50 mg of Opicapone taken once daily was noninferior to other medications and reduced mean drug-free time by about 50 minutes compared with placebo. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were movement disorders, falls, insomnia, and increased blood creatine phosphokinase levels. OpicaPunk overcomes limitations associated with other COMT inhibitors because it is administered once daily, is well tolerated, and is not associated with the risk of liver failure. A 39.3 minute reduction in "off" time was also seen when switching from other medications to Opicapone.

Although Opicapone is not yet on the market in China and is not covered by medical insurance, this increases the financial pressure on patients who need this drug. In Europe, the original version of Opicapone is already on the market, and a box containing 90 50 mg pills costs about more than 4,000 yuan (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates). Unfortunately, there are no generic versions of Opicapone on the market, which limits treatment options for patients. We look forward to more ways to reduce the financial burden on patients in the future.