The functions and efficacy of trifluridine and tipiracil tablets (Lonsurf)

Lonsurf (Lonsurf) is a prescription medicine used to treat cancer of the colon, rectum, or stomach that has spread to other parts of the body and in people who have previously received or been unable to receive certain chemotherapy drugs. Trifluridine and tipiracil are made up of two drugs: one (trifluridine) helps the other (trifluridine) stay active and work properly, and prevents cells from replicating themselves, which may help stop tumors from growing.

Trifluridine was studied in a clinical trial of 800 patients with colon or rectal cancer that had spread to other parts of the body and who had been previously treated with certain chemotherapy drugs. Half of the treated patients were still alive at 7.1 months, and 88% had worsening of the disease or died. In a clinical trial of 507 patients with stomach cancer that had spread to other parts of the body and had been previously treated with certain chemotherapy drugs, half of the treated patients were still alive at 5.7 months, and 85 percent had worsening disease or died.

The original drug of trifluridinetipiracil tablets has been marketed in China under the trade name Langsif, but it has not yet entered the scope of medical insurance. The price per box may be around RMB 6,000, and the price per box of the Hong Kong version may be more than RMB 10,000 (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates). The Japanese version of trifluridine tipiracil tablets sold overseas may cost around more than 5,000 yuan per box (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates). There are also cheaper generic versions of trifluridine and tipiracil tablets available overseas. Their pharmaceutical ingredients are basically the same as those of the original drugs sold domestically and abroad. For example, the price of each box produced by an Indian pharmaceutical factory may be around more than 1,000 yuan (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates).