How much does Enfortumab cost per year?

Enfortumab is a new type of anti-tumor monoclonal antibody that mainly exerts anti-cancer effects by targeting the Nectin-4 receptor. It has shown significant efficacy in the treatment of advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (urothelial carcinoma; bladder cancer). The drug has been launched in both overseas and domestic markets. The common specifications of the overseas European version of Enfortumab are 20 mg and 30 mg. The price difference is obvious. The price of 20 mg per box is about more than 7,000 yuan, and the price of 30 mg per box may be about more than 10,000 yuan. Since the recommended dose of Enfortumab is 1.25 mg/kg, intravenous infusion once every two weeks, and the maximum dose is limited to 125 mg for patients weighing ≥100 kg, the amount of drug required for each treatment and the corresponding cost will vary depending on the patient's weight.

Take a patient weighing 70kg as an example. Each infusion dose is about 87.5mg, which means that nearly 4 to 5 boxes of 20mg drugs, or about 3 boxes of 30mg drugs, are needed every two weeks. The annual dosing cycle is usually 26 times (once every two weeks). Based on this calculation, the drug cost for a year may reach hundreds of thousands of yuan. The specific cost depends on the selected specifications and actual weight. For patients with higher body weight, such as more than 100kg, the maximum dose per time is 125mg. The number of drugs required increases accordingly, and the annual cost also increases accordingly. It is worth noting that medical insurance coverage and hospital procurement channels in different regions may cause prices to fluctuate. At the same time, there are differences in exchange rates, taxes, and logistics between overseas and Hong Kong versions of drugs, causing actual annual expenditures to fluctuate within a certain range.

In terms of cost management, patients and clinical institutions usually consider drug strength selection, weight-adjusted dosage, combination therapy strategies, and possible medical insurance or assistance programs. Some countries and regions provide special drug assistance programs for patients with advanced urothelial cancer, partially alleviating the high cost of treatment. However, since Enfortumab is a targeted anti-cancer biological agent, its price is still in the high-end drug category.

Reference: https://www.padcev.com/