Will fenelidone be included in medical insurance in 2024?

The original drug Finerenone (Finerenone) has been approved by the State Food and Drug Administration in China in June 2022 and is sold under the name Finerenone tablets with the trade name Kerendia/Kerendia. It is used to treat adult patients with chronic kidney disease related to type 2 diabetes. As of July 2024, fenelidone tablets have successfully passed the relevant regulations of the National Medical Insurance Bureau and entered the ranks of Class B medical insurance reimbursement. Patients who meet the indications for fenelidone can use medical insurance for reimbursement under relevant policies.

The drug fenelidone is a selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist indicated for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Fennelidone selectively blocks mineralocorticoid receptors, counteracts the side effects of aldosterone, and exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties. Clinical trials have consistently demonstrated its efficacy in reducing proteinuria, slowing CKD progression, and improving cardiovascular outcomes in patients with T2D and CKD. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it for reducing the risk of death and abnormal cardiovascular events in adults with chronic kidney disease andT2D with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), highlighting its therapeutic potential.

In placebo-controlled trials of several thousand patients, serum enzyme elevations or hepatotoxicity are generally not mentioned. In the largest placebo-controlled trial, the incidence of "hepatobiliary" adverse events in patients taking fenelidone was similar to that in patients taking placebo, and no serious hepatic adverse events were reported. Since its approval and widespread use, there have been no reports of acute liver injury with fenelidone.