How much does a box of Temozolomide cost?

Temozolomide is indicated for use with concurrent radiation therapy followed by monotherapy in adult patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme; or in children and adolescents over three years of age and adults with malignant glioma (such as glioblastoma multiforme or anaplastic astrocytoma) who have recurred or progressed after standard treatment. Temozolomide may also be used to treat aggressive pituitary tumors and pituitary cancers, and the drug has also shown some activity in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Temozolomide is an oral alkylating agent that was first developed by Aston University in the UK in the early 1980s. The proposed mechanism of action is based on the ability of its metabolites to deposit methyl groups on DNA guanine bases. After oral administration, the prodrug temozolomide is easily absorbed in the small intestine and has good blood-brain barrier permeability due to its small size (194 Da). It then undergoes spontaneous intracellular conversion via hydrolysis to become a potent methylating agent. MTIC methylates many nucleobases, most importantly guanine bases. This leads to the formation of DNA gaps, followed by apoptosis because the cellular repair machinery cannot adapt to the methylated base

The original drug temozolomide has been launched in China and has entered the scope of Class B medical insurance. Common specificationsThe price of 100mg*1 tablet*5 bags per box may be around 2,000 yuan. The price of generic temozolomide drugs marketed overseas is relatively low, and its pharmaceutical ingredients are basically the same as those of the original temozolomide drug. For example, the price of a box of 100mg*5 produced by a Bangladeshi pharmaceutical factory may be around a few hundred yuan (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates).