How much does a box of Osimertinib, the third generation targeted drug cost?

Osimertinib, a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) developed by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, has been successfully launched in China and has been included in medical insurance, which is undoubtedly a great benefit to the majority of lung cancer patients. Its latest price is around five to six thousand yuan, which has been significantly reduced compared to the previous high price. Patients can now easily inquire about and purchase the drug at their local hospital pharmacy.

In addition to domestic genuine drugs, Laos and Bangladesh also have regular and legal supply of generic osimertinib drugs. The ingredients of these generic drugs are basically the same as those of the original drugs, but the price is more affordable, ranging from a few hundred yuan to one or two thousand yuan. However, purchasing overseas versions of generic drugs requires patients to go through formal overseas channels to ensure the authenticity and safety of the drugs. After all, counterfeit and substandard medicines can pose serious threats to patient health and safety.

Osimertinib is mainly used to treat metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, especially those whose disease has progressed after treatment with first-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Its remarkable efficacy is due to its ability to specifically inhibit the EGFR signaling pathway in tumor cells. In fact, about 10% of non-small cell lung cancer patients have a rapid and effective clinical response to EGFR-TKIs due to the presence of specific activating EGFR mutations in tumor cells. In particular, deletions around the LREA motif in the L858R point mutation in exon 19 and exon 21 are closely related to treatment response.