How much does Eculizumab cost?

Eculizumab (Eculizumab) contains the active substance eculizumab and is a drug used to treat paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) in adults and children. These are life-threatening genetic disorders that cause red blood cells to rupture, leading to a variety of medical complications. PNH causes anemia, thrombosis, pancytopenia, and dark-colored urine, whereas aHUS causes anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal failure.

Eculizumab is used to treat adults and children 6 years and older who have myasthenia gravis (a disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys muscle cells, causing muscle weakness) in whom other drugs have not worked (refractory systemic disease) and who have a specific type of antibody called an AChR antibody.

Eculizumab is also used to treat adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a disease in which the immune system destroys nerve cells, primarily causing problems with the optic nerve and spinal cord (the nerve tissue that runs from the base of the skull to the center of the back). It is used in patients who have AQP4 antibodies and have had a relapse of the disease (where the patient has an attack [relapse] during an asymptomatic period).

The generic drug Eculizumab has been launched in China and is covered by medical insurance. It is only available for reimbursement to eligible patients. The specification is 300mg (30ml) and the price per box may be more than 3,000 yuan. It is understood that the price of each box of the original Eculizumab drug sold overseas is more than 6,000 US dollars (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). The ingredients of the original drug sold at home and abroad are basically the same, and the price of the original drug is still relatively expensive. There are currently no generic versions of eculizumab available on the market.