Is Zanubrutinib covered by medical insurance?

Zanubrutinib (Zanubrutinib) was approved by the State Food and Drug Administration in 2020 and entered the scope of Class B medical insurance through the relevant policies of the Medical Insurance Bureau. However, reimbursement is limited to patients who meet the indications. Patients who do not meet the conditions can only purchase it at their own expense. The price of each box of 80mg*64 tablets may be around RMB 6,000.

The medical insurance reimbursement conditions for zanubrutinib will include adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one previous treatment; adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) who have received at least one previous treatment. The above indications are conditionally approved based on the objective response rate results of a single-arm clinical trial, and the full approval will be dependent on the results of the ongoing confirmatory randomized controlled clinical trials; the above indications are conditionally approved based on the primary response rate results of a single-arm clinical trial in adult patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) who have received at least one previous therapy. Full approval will be dependent on the results of the ongoing confirmatory randomized controlled clinical trials.

The active substance in zanubrutinibzanubrutinib blocks the action of an enzyme called Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK). BTK is important for the growth of B cells, including abnormal B cells in patients with Waldenströ macroglobulinemia, marginal zone lymphoma, or chronic lymphocytic leukemia. By blocking the action of BTK, the drug could potentially slow the progression of the disease.

The original drug of zanubrutinib marketed overseas is relatively expensive, and there are currently no generic drugs of zanubrutinib on the market.