How much does a bottle of Encidipine cost?

Enasidenib, also known as AG-221, is an oral targeted drug used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) drugs, especially for AML patients carrying isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2) mutations. AMLIt is a serious cancer of the blood and bone marrow that is characterized by the rapid proliferation of immature white blood cells, which blocks the production of normal blood cells. Ensidipine targets and inhibits the enzyme activity of IDH2 mutations, preventing the accumulation of abnormal metabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG), thereby restoring normal cell differentiation and function.

Encidipine is not currently available in the country, so patients cannot purchase it domestically and need to purchase it through overseas channels. The cheaper ones abroad are mainly generic drugs, mainly from Laos and Bangladesh. The price is about 2,000 yuan, and the ingredients are basically the same as the original drugs.

Ensidipine was developed byAgios Pharmaceuticals and clinically developed in collaboration withCelgene (now part ofBristol-Myers Squibb). Its approval was based on a pivotal Phase 1/2 clinical trial, which showed that ensidipine had significant anti-leukemia activity in patients with relapsed or refractory AML positive for IDH2 mutations. Trial data show that the complete response (CR) rate in the ensidipine treatment group is 19%, while the overall response rate (including partial response and complete response) reaches about 40%. These results demonstrate the potential of ensidipine to improve patient outcomes.

The mechanism of ensidipine is mainly by inhibiting the function of the IDH2 mutant enzyme and reducing the production of the carcinogenic metabolite 2-HG.Excessive accumulation of 2-HG can lead to abnormal methylation of DNA and tissue, thereby inhibiting normal hematopoietic stem cell differentiation. By reducing 2-HG levels, ensidipine can promote the differentiation of abnormal leukemia cells and restore normal hematopoietic processes.

Common side effects of ensidipine include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, jaundice, and electrolyte imbalances. Although most side effects are mild to moderate, in some cases, serious drug-related side effects may occur, such as differentiation syndrome (a life-threatening reaction caused by rapid differentiation of leukemia cells). Therefore, clinical use requires close monitoring of patient responses and appropriate intervention as needed.