The difference between domestically produced and imported imatinib/Gleevec

Imatinib , trade name Gleevec (Gleevec), is one of the first molecularly targeted therapies to be successfully marketed in the world and was developed by the Swiss company Novartis. As a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), it can accurately inhibit the activity of various abnormal kinases such as BCR-ABL fusion protein, KIT and PDGFR, thereby cutting off the growth signals of tumor cells. This mechanism has enabled imatinib to achieve breakthroughs in the treatment of a variety of malignant tumors, including Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) with positive KIT or PDGFRA gene mutations, certain rare eosinophilia, etc.

In clinical application, imatinib has changed the treatment landscape of various diseases. For example, before the advent of imatinib, patients with CML had limited survival expectations and required higher-risk bone marrow transplants. Since the advent of imatinib, the long-term control rate and survival rate of CML have significantly improved; for patients with GIST, it has become the standard first-line treatment option for unresectable or metastatic cases, and is widely used in postoperative adjuvant treatment.

In China, there are both imported original versions of imatinib (Gleevec) and domestic generic versions. Imported original drugs are fully guaranteed in terms of production technology, long-term clinical verification, safety and stability, and have accumulated more than 20 years of experience in use worldwide. After passing the consistency evaluation, the main active ingredients of domestic generic drugs are the same as those of the original drugs, and the efficacy and safety are theoretically equivalent. However, there may be slight differences in excipients, drug appearance, dissolution rate, etc.

Price is one of the most important differences for patients. The price of imported Gleevec is relatively high, and even if it is covered by medical insurance, the patient's out-of-pocket payment may still put some pressure on the economy; the price of domestic generic drugs is usually lower than that of imported drugs, and medical insurance can significantly reduce the burden. This gives more patients the opportunity to receive long-term, standardized targeted therapy.

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