Is satelizumab (Anshiping) included in medical insurance?

Satralizumab (Satralizumab) is the first and only subcutaneous treatment for adult patients with anti-aquaporin-4 (AQ P4) antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). NMOSD is a rare, lifelong, debilitating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that is often misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis and primarily damages the optic nerve and spinal cord, causing blindness, muscle weakness and paralysis.

Satlizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody, the only approved therapy for satlizumab, designed to target and inhibit interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor activity, which is thought to play a key role in satlizumab-related inflammation. The therapy is designed using novel circulating antibody technology that allows longer antibody circulation and subcutaneous dosing every four weeks compared to traditional technologies. It is an important advance for patients to have an approved treatment that can be injected subcutaneously at home and has been shown to have an impact on the frequency of relapses.

The patented drug satlizumab has been launched in China, sold under the brand name Anshiping, and is included in medical insurance. It is only reimbursable for patients who meet the indications, that is, adolescents and adult patients ≥12 years old and suffering from aquaporin4 (AQP4) antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). The price of each box of 120mg (1ml) may be more than RMB 10,000, which is still relatively expensive; the price of each box of the original drug Saterizumab sold overseas is more than $10,000 (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). The ingredients of the original drug sold domestically and abroad are basically the same. There are currently no generic versions of satlizumab available on the market.