Is Avatrombopag Sucoxin?

Avatrombopag was initially approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2018 for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic liver disease scheduled to undergo medical or dental surgery, becoming the first drug approved by the FDA for this indication. Avatrombopag is subsequently indicated for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in adult patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia who have had an inadequate response to prior therapy.

The new indication for avatrombopag, an oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist, provides a new oral treatment option that may improve outcomes in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia unresponsive to prior therapy. In clinical trials, avatropopag demonstrated superior efficacy in terms of median cumulative weeks of platelet response (≥50 × 109/L) compared with placebo, with the majority of patients receiving avatropopag achieving target platelet counts by day 8 of treatment. In addition, avatrombopag was superior to placebo in maintaining target platelet count range during 6 months of treatment.

The original drug of avatrombopag, which is marketed in China under the trade name Su Kexin, has entered the scope of Class B medical insurance, but only eligible patients can be reimbursed. The price of a common specification of 20mg*15 tablets may be more than RMB 7,000 per box, while the original drug of avatrombopag marketed overseas is even more expensive. It is understood that there are generic drugs of avatrombopag available overseas, and their pharmaceutical ingredients are basically the same as those of the original drug. For example, the price of a box of 20mg*30 tablets in Laos pharmaceutical production specifications may be around RMB 1,000 (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates).