Can trifluridine, tipiracil (Lancever) be reimbursed by medical insurance?

The original drug of trifluridine and tipiracil (Lonsurf/Lonsurf) is marketed and sold in China under the name of trifluridine and tipiracil tablets (Lonsurf/Lonsurf), but it has not been included in medical insurance. The common specifications are 15mg*20 tablets and 20mg*20 tablets. However, it is understood that the domestic generic drug Trifluridine Tipiracil Tablets has been included in the reimbursement scope of Class B medical insurance. Patients who meet the indications can use medical insurance for reimbursement. Since the reimbursement ratios are different in different regions, the price after reimbursement may be slightly different.

In the body, trifluridine is converted to its active form and integrated into the cell'sDNA. This process interferes with the normal function of DNA, preventing cells from dividing and multiplying. Trifluridine is more easily activated in cancer cells than in normal cells, which allows the drug to have a higher level of activity in cancer cells and a longer duration of action. This selective mechanism of action helps reduce the growth of cancer cells while having relatively little impact on normal cells. Tipiracil enhances the therapeutic effect by slowing down the breakdown of trifluridine, thereby increasing its concentration in the blood.

The current reimbursement conditions for trifluridine and tipiracil include patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who have previously received fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, as well as patients who have previously received or are not suitable for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy (RAS wild-type). The original drug is sold under the name Trifluridine Tipiracil Tablets (Lonsurf/Lonsurf), and the price per box may be around 6,000 RMB, while the price of domestic generic drugs may be around 2,000 RMB. There are also cheaper generic drugs on the market overseas, and their pharmaceutical ingredients are basically the same as those of the original drugs. For example, the price of each box produced by an Indian pharmaceutical factory may be more than more than 1,000 yuan (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates).