Is vepotuzumab (POLIVY) an imported drug?

Velpotuzumab (POLIVY) is a new targeted immunotherapy called a CD79b-directed antibody-drug conjugate with the immunotherapy rituximab (Rituxan) plus the chemotherapy bendamustine for patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after 2 or more lines of therapy.

Antibodies-Drug conjugates are an emerging class of cancer-targeted immunotherapies. This type of treatment differs from traditional chemotherapy in that it is designed to target specific cells, and the approval of vepotuzumab provides another option for patients who have failed multiple treatments. Vepotolizumab is administered intravenously, they are not destroyed by stomach acid or digestive enzymes, and they work by circulating in the bloodstream, where they target tumor-specific cell surface antigens. The recommended dose of velpotuzumab is 1.8 mg/kg, administered in combination with bendamustine and rituximab, as an intravenous infusion every 21 days for a total of 6 cycles. The initial dose should be infused over 90 minutes, and if well tolerated, subsequent doses can be infused over 30 minutes.

Vepotolizumab's patent medicine has been launched in China. Due to its short time on the market, it has not yet entered the scope of medical insurance. It is an injectable preparation. The price of 30 mg per box may be around RMB 10,000. The price of the Hong Kong version of 140 mg per box may be around RMB 60,000 (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates) overseas. The price of the European version of vepotuzumab on the market, Specifications140 mg per box, may be around 90,000 yuan (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). The ingredients of domestic original drugs are basically the same as those of foreign original drugs, and they are expensive. There are currently no generic versions of vepotuzumab on the market.