Is Avelumab included in medical insurance?

In several multicenter studies, avelumab therapy produced objective responses in patients with advanced, metastatic or unresectable malignancies, and some patients achieved long-term remissions. Avelumab was approved in the United States in 2017 for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma and advanced refractory urothelial bladder cancer, and was subsequently approved in combination with axitinib for advanced renal cell carcinoma. Avelumab is available in 200 mg (20 mg/ml) single-use 10 ml vials under the brand name Bavencio.

Avelumab is a human recombinant monoclonal IgG1 antibody directed against programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1). It has unique immunomodulatory activity and is used as a checkpoint inhibitor in cancer immunotherapy. Programmed cell death receptor 1 (PD-1) is an important checkpoint molecule expressed on activated T and B cells. Binding of ligands to PD-1 activates the programmed cell death pathway and terminates or downregulates cytotoxic T cell responses. Monoclonal antibodies that bind PD-L1 prevent its binding to the PD receptor and subsequently induce cellular pathways that downregulate T cell responses. Inhibition of this pathway allows sustained activation and proliferation of T cell responses. The subsequent enhancement of cytotoxic reactivity may play a beneficial role in cancer immunotherapy by breaking immune tolerance to cancer cell neoantigens.

Avelumab is an emerging cancer treatment drug. The original drug has not yet been marketed in China, so it cannot be included in medical insurance. The price of Avelumab's generic drug, 200mg/10mL per box, may be more than RMB 10,000 per box (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). We are not aware of any Avelumab generics being produced and put on the market. For specific prices and drug details, please consult Yade's medical consultant.