CHINA

Innovative Drugs Take Center Stage at Chinese Health Insurance Program’s Latest Round of Price Negotiations

Published: Oct. 29, 2024 8:15 p.m. GMT+8

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The 2024 national health insurance program medicine negotiations kicked off at the National People’s Congress Conference Center in Beijing on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Zhou Xinda/Caixin

China’s national health insurance regulator has kicked off the latest round of medicine pricing negotiations this week, as drugmakers bid to get their pricey innovative medications included in the country’s basic health insurance program.

From Sunday to Wednesday, big-name pharmaceutical firms Merck, Bayer, Sanofi and AstraZeneca, as well as local outfits such as Hengrui Pharma, Innovent Biologics and Haisco, are meeting in Beijing with the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA).

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China's NHSA is holding medicine pricing negotiations involving major drugmakers to include innovative drugs in the national health insurance.
162 medications are under negotiation, slightly fewer than last year's 168, even though more drugs passed the initial review this year.
High-cost CAR-T therapies are a focus, with five domestic products reviewed, but their inclusion is challenged by overlapping treatment options already covered by insurance.

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Who’s Who

Merck: The article mentions that Merck is among the big-name pharmaceutical firms participating in the medicine pricing negotiations with China’s National Healthcare Security Administration in Beijing. They are vying to get their innovative medications included in China's basic health insurance program to increase the likelihood of their drugs being prescribed under the national medical insurance plan.

Bayer: The article mentions Bayer as one of the big-name pharmaceutical firms participating in China's national health insurance negotiations in Beijing. These negotiations aim to include innovative medications in the country’s basic health insurance program by negotiating drug prices. However, no specific details about Bayer's drugs or strategies in this negotiation round are provided.

Sanofi: Sanofi, a major pharmaceutical firm, is participating in the latest round of medicine pricing negotiations with China's National Healthcare Security Administration. The goal is to include their medications in China's basic health insurance program, which helps share drug costs between the state and patients. Inclusion significantly increases a drug's likelihood of being prescribed. The negotiations aim to balance innovation with affordability for high-value treatments, particularly for conditions like cancer.

AstraZeneca: AstraZeneca is among the big-name pharmaceutical firms participating in China's latest medicine pricing negotiations with the National Healthcare Security Administration. These negotiations aim to include innovative medications in China's basic health insurance program.

Hengrui Pharma: Hengrui Pharma is among the pharmaceutical firms involved in China's national health insurance medicine pricing negotiations in Beijing. They aim to have their innovative drugs included in the insurance program, where prices have previously been reduced by over half. The negotiations are crucial as they balance the need for innovation with affordability amid increasing demand from an aging population.

Innovent Biologics: Innovent Biologics is a local pharmaceutical company in China that is participating in the current round of medicine pricing negotiations with the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA). They are bidding to have their innovative medications included in the country’s basic health insurance program, which would make their drugs more likely to be prescribed and partially covered by the state.

Haisco: The article mentions Haisco as one of the local pharmaceutical companies participating in the latest round of medicine pricing negotiations with China's National Healthcare Security Administration. These negotiations aim to include high-priced innovative drugs in the national health insurance program to ensure their affordability and accessibility. However, the article does not provide specific details about Haisco's products or their strategies in this negotiation process.

Fosun Kite Biotechnology: Fosun Kite Biotechnology has its CAR-T product, which has passed initial reviews for three consecutive years. The company highlights the high quality control required in production, with training costs for operators reaching 300,000 yuan. Fosun Pharma’s Chairman, Wu Yifang, expressed hope for insurance coverage of their CAR-T treatment. Fosun Kite's CAR-T therapy is part of the ongoing national health insurance pricing negotiations in China.

WuXi AppTec: WuXi AppTec Co. Ltd. is one of the domestic companies that have had their CAR-T drugs pass the initial review in this year's medicine pricing negotiations with China's NHSA. These negotiations aim to include innovative medications like CAR-T treatments in the country's health insurance program, which would make them more accessible by reducing costs for patients.

IASO Bio Therapeutics: IASO Bio Therapeutics is one of the five domestic companies with CAR-T drugs that passed the initial review in China's latest round of medicine pricing negotiations. These CAR-T treatments, targeting cancer, have not previously made it through due to high costs. This marks IASO Bio Therapeutics' inclusion on the list for the first time, as the country’s health insurance regulator balances innovation with affordability in its pricing discussions.

Juventas Cell Therapy: Juventas Cell Therapy Ltd. is participating in China's national health insurance negotiations for the first time, with its CAR-T treatment priced at 999,000 yuan per round. This marks the first breach of the million-yuan price point for such treatments, likely aimed at capturing the attention of the health insurance regulator. Despite entering the negotiations, their products face competition from drugs already included in the insurance plan, which might impact their bargaining power.

CARsgen Therapeutics: CARsgen Therapeutics Holdings Ltd. is one of the companies with a domestic CAR-T product that has passed the initial review for inclusion in China's national health insurance program. This marks the debut of their CAR-T treatment on the initial review list. However, the domestic CAR-T products primarily target conditions treated by existing insured drugs, which could affect CARsgen's bargaining power in negotiations with the National Healthcare Security Administration.

Fosun International: Fosun International is involved in the production of CAR-T treatments, which are noted for their high quality control costs. Their product has passed initial reviews for three years. Fosun Pharma’s Chairman, Wu Yifang, expressed the desire for their CAR-T treatment to be included in China’s health insurance program, aiming to balance treatment affordability with innovation. Training an operator on their production line reportedly costs 300,000 yuan.

Fosun Pharma: Fosun Kite Biotechnology's CAR-T product has passed initial reviews for three years but hasn't entered China's health insurance due to high costs. Fosun Pharma Chairman Wu Yifang hopes for its inclusion, citing significant quality control costs in production. Fosun is focused on making CAR-T treatments financially viable for insurance, with CEO Chen Qiyu highlighting costly operator training as a factor.

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What Happened When

During August 2024：: Fosun Pharma's Chairman Wu Yifang expressed hope that their CAR-T treatment could soon be covered by health insurance.

From Sunday, October 27, 2024, to Wednesday, October 30, 2024：: Pharmaceutical companies meet with the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) in Beijing for medicine pricing negotiations.

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