Annual dosage and cost estimate of bicizumab

In the actual medication process, the annual dosage and cost of Bimekizumab (Bimekizumab) for the treatment of plaque psoriasis are core issues of concern to patients and medical insurance policymakers. According to the current recommended treatment plan, adults of average weight need to complete five intensive injections of 320 mg each time in the early stage of treatment, totaling 1,600 mg. After entering the maintenance period, if calculated as one injection every 8 weeks, a total of about 6 maintenance injections are needed a year, totaling 1920 mg. The total annual dose is approximately 3520mg, corresponding to 22 160mg injections.

If the patient weighs more than 120kg or requires intensive administration, injections may be required every 4 weeks, and the annual dosage will increase to approximately 6080mg, corresponding to 38 vials of 160mg. According to the domestic drug market quotation, the current domestic price of 160 mg/tube of bicizumab ranges from RMB 3,000 to RMB 4,000, while the price of the original drug in Europe and the United States is even higher. The common specification is 160 mg × 2 tubes, and the price per box is more than RMB 40,000 to RMB 50,000. Therefore, if a Chinese patient of average weight uses domestic original drugs throughout the course, the annual treatment cost will be between 66,000 and 88,000 yuan; if a European version of imported original drugs is used, the annual treatment cost may exceed 400,000 yuan.

In order to reduce the financial burden, some patients choose to use formal cross-border drug channels or use overseas generic drugs from Laos and other places. Although these drugs have the same ingredients, they are significantly cheaper, with each box selling for only a few thousand yuan. However, generic drugs still need to pay attention to production specifications, quality stability and source compliance issues. China has not yet included bicizumab in the medical insurance catalog, but as it is approved for marketing in the country and accumulates more clinical use experience, medical insurance access is expected to become a key policy direction in the next step.

Reference materials:https://www.drugs.com/bimekizumab.html