Brigatinib/Brigatinib treatment cost detailed: How much does it cost per month

Brigatinib/Brigatinib (Brigatinib), as an important targeted therapy drug, is widely used in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. It is particularly useful in patients whose cancer cells have specific mutations that often drive tumors to grow rapidly. Typically, such patients have already been treated with crizotinib. When anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) abnormalities are detected in the tumor tissue of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, we call it ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. The mechanism of action of brigatinib is to inhibit the activity of ALK enzyme, thereby curbing tumor expansion.

Brigatinib is available in tablet form in three strengths: 30 mg, 90 mg and 180 mg. The pharmaceutical packaging that can be seen on the domestic market includes 30mg in 14-piece 2-packs, 90mg in 7-pieces or 7-pieces in 4-packs, and 180mg in 7-pieces in 4-packs. According to treatment guidelines, patients should take 90 mg of brigatinib once daily for the first seven days of treatment; thereafter the dose is increased to 180 mg daily. Taking the packaging of 90 mg 7 tablets and 4 plates as an example, if the patient continues to be treated and does not stop taking the drug, approximately two boxes of medicine are needed to meet the treatment needs for one month.

In the domestic market, the price of the original brigatinib drug is relatively high, and the price per box may be as high as about 10,000 yuan, so the patient's monthly treatment cost may exceed 20,000 yuan. However, more affordable generic versions of brigatinib are available in overseas markets. The active ingredients of these generic drugs are basically the same as those of the original drugs. For example, the price of a 90mg 30-tablet generic drug produced by a pharmaceutical factory in Bangladesh is about RMB 2,000 per box (the price will change according to exchange rate fluctuations). In this way, the patient's monthly treatment cost may be controlled within RMB 10,000, which significantly reduces the financial burden.