What are the prices and effects of obeticholic acid?

Obeticholic acid (Obeticholic acid) is used to treat adults with primary cholangitis, an autoimmune disease in which small bile ducts in the liver are gradually destroyed. Due to damage to the bile ducts, bile accumulates in the liver, causing damage to liver tissue. This can lead to scarring and liver failure, and may increase the risk of liver cancer. Obeticholic acid is used with another drug, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), in patients who do not respond well to UDCA alone, or in patients who cannot take UDCA alone.

Primary cholangitis is rare, and obeticholic acid is currently designated as an "orphan drug" (a drug for a rare disease). At the time of its approval, major studies showed that obeticholic acid reduced blood levels of bilirubin and the substance ALP, a marker of liver damage, in patients with primary cholangitis, including those who couldn't be treated with UDCA. Reductions in bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase are considered indicators of future improvement in liver condition. However, the benefits of obeticholic acid need to be confirmed in further studies.

It is understood that obeticholic acid has not yet been approved for marketing in China, so it cannot be included in medical insurance, and its domestic price is not known. The common specifications of obeticholic acidoriginal drugs marketed overseas are5mg*30 tablets and 10mg*30 tablets. The price of each box may be more than 9,000 US dollars (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). Generic drugs of obeticholic acid are already on the market for sale overseas. The ingredients are basically the same as those of the original drug. The price per box ranges from a few hundred to 1,000 yuan (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). Compared with the price of the original drug, it is relatively cheap. For more drug information and specific prices, please consult Yaode Medical Consultant.