Is Tofacitinib an imported drug?

Tofacitinib/Shangjie (Tofacitinib) was originally developed by overseas pharmaceutical companies. It is an original drug that is launched globally. Therefore, "whether tofacitinib is an imported drug" has always been a concern of patients. In fact, tofacitinib is an imported drug in China, but at the same time, multiple domestic versions have appeared in China, and their ingredients are consistent with the original drug, giving patients more choices. In the Chinese market, the original research tofacitinib is marketed as tofacitinib citrate tablets under the common trade name "Shangjie" and has been included in the Class B reimbursement scope of the national medical insurance directory. This means that patients can obtain a certain percentage of cost reductions according to medical insurance policies after prescribed by standardized medical institutions, which helps reduce the financial pressure of long-term treatment.

The launch of domestically produced tofacitinib is an important manifestation of the improvement in the level of domestic innovative drugs and generic drugs in recent years. After the original research patent expired, the domestically produced tofacitinib, which was based on consistency evaluation, completed the registration review and entered the market, providing patients with a more controllable cost and more stable supply option. Small molecule JAK inhibitors have clear chemical structures, are less difficult to copy, and are easier to standardize in quality. Therefore, generic drugs are relatively mature in global application. Domestic tofacitinib remains highly close to the original drug in terms of quality standards, ingredient content, and in vivo consistency, which is also the core basis for its entry into the medical insurance system.

Tofacitinib is an important drug in the field of rheumatism and immunity. Therefore, in actual use in China, patients with rheumatoid arthritis are most concerned about whether the efficacy is consistent, whether there is a significant price gap, and whether it is easy to purchase. Original medicines are usually slightly more expensive, while domestic medicines are more cost-effective. Patients can choose based on the doctor’s advice, medical insurance reimbursement status, and their own financial affordability.

Reference materials:https://www.xeljanz.com/