Is opicapone included in medical insurance?

Opicapone is a new peripheral COMT inhibitor used in combination with standard treatments to prevent and mitigate these events. It works by reducing the metabolism of levodopa and has a synergistic effect. It was developed primarily to improve efficacy and avoid common side effects of previous generation COMT inhibitors. It has been approved as an adjunct to the treatment of Parkinson's disease since 2016 and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States.

Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease whose incidence gradually increases with age. It is a common source of disability and morbidity and the fastest neurodegenerative disease. Clinical manifestations include typical movement disorders, bradykinesia, rigid gait disorder, and postural instability. Opicapone has been studied in multiple clinical trials, compared with placebo and entacapone, and found to be effective and safe. It significantly prolongs the activity of levodopa and reduces the duration of "intermittent attacks" by an average of approximately 50 minutes at a single 50 mg nighttime dose. The recent OPTIPARK study also showed that the quality of life of patients taking Opicapone was significantly improved, and objective indicators were also improved.

Opicapone has not yet been launched in the country, so it is not covered by medical insurance. The European version of Opicapone’s original drug specifications listed overseasThe price per box of 50mg*90 capsules is around RMB 6,000 (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). There is currently no generic version of Opicapone on the market. For more drug information and specific prices, please consult Yaode’s medical consultant.