How much does zotuximab treatment cost approximately for one year?

Zolbetuximab (zolbetuximab-clzb), trade name VYLOY, is a new CLDN18.2-targeting monoclonal antibody. It is mainly used for the treatment of patients with CLDN18.2-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic gastric cancer and gastroesophageal junction cancer. This drug is usually used in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-based chemotherapy drugs, and its dosing regimen is more complex and the cost structure is therefore higher. According to the recommended dosage, the initial dose is 800 mg/m², followed by injections of 600 mg/m² every three weeks, or 400 mg/m² every two weeks, and continued treatment until the disease progresses or the adverse reactions are intolerable.

Taking a patient with a body surface area of 1.8 square meters as an example, the first dose is 1440 mg, and thereafter 1080 mg every three weeks or 720 mg every two weeks. If calculated as once every three weeks in a year, approximately 17 maintenance treatments are required, and the total dose can reach approximately 21,360 mg. Since each vial of zotuximab is 100 mg, a patient will need approximately 214 vials throughout the year. Referring to international market prices, for example, the price of original drugs in Europe or Japan may exceed RMB 7,000 per bottle. Based on this estimate, the drug cost alone will be more than one million yuan a year, excluding chemotherapy drugs, hospitalization infusion costs and other related medical expenses.

At present, although zotuximab has been approved for marketing in China, due to its short time on the market, it has not yet been included in the national medical insurance directory. The actual selling price and accessibility are still being dynamically adjusted, and there are currently no generic drugs to choose from, resulting in a heavy overall treatment burden. If patients are considering using this drug, they should consult the hospital pharmacy department or authorized pharmacy in advance to learn about the latest pricing and supply conditions. They can also pay attention to future medical insurance negotiation developments, or whether there are clinical trials and assistance projects available for application to alleviate financial pressure.

Reference materials:https://www.astellas.com/en/news/29401