Is brigatinib/brigatinib currently covered by medical insurance?

Brigatinib (Brigatinib), as a new generation of ALK inhibitor, has shown good efficacy in the treatment of ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially for patients who are resistant to crizotinib. With the rapid development of targeted therapy in recent years, brigatinib has gradually gained recognition globally and was approved to enter the Chinese market in 2021 under the trade name "Alectinib Brigatinib Tablets". With its domestic launch and continuous accumulation of clinical application experience, the medical insurance access issue of brigatinib has also attracted much attention from patients and the medical community.

Currently, brigatinib has been included in China’s national medical insurance drug catalog and belongs to Class B medical insurance drugs. This initiative effectively reduces the financial burden on patients and provides more accessible treatment options for ALK-positive lung cancer patients. Drugs covered by medical insurance include a variety of specifications, such as 30mg, 90mg and 180mg, etc. The common packaging is 30mg×28 tablets, 90mg×28 tablets or 180mg×28 tablets. Although its price tag on the market is still relatively high, with some specifications priced at around 8,000 to 10,000 yuan, after being reimbursed by medical insurance, the patient's out-of-pocket amount can be significantly reduced, which greatly improves the sustainability of treatment.

However, although brigatinib has been included in medical insurance, its use still needs to meet certain clinical access conditions. Patients usually need to receive a prescription from a qualified oncologist in a tertiary hospital and provide a genetic test report for ALK-positive mutations. On the premise of meeting the medical insurance reimbursement requirements, the actual reimbursement ratio may differ in different regions. In addition, some regions may incorporate brigatinib into "dual-channel" management, allowing patients to purchase it through designated pharmacies and enjoy medical insurance reimbursement policies, thereby further optimizing the medication path.

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