HUTCHMED has announced that the China National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) has renewed the inclusion of savolitinib in the updated National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL), which will remain effective starting January 1, 2025.
This renewal continues under the same conditions as the current two-year agreement.
Savolitinib is an oral, potent, and highly selective MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). It received conditional approval in China in June 2021 for treating specific cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with MET exon 14 skipping mutations.
China accounts for over a third of global lung cancer cases, and approximately 2-3% of patients with NSCLC have tumors with MET exon 14 skipping alterations.
Savolitinib was first added to the NRDL on March 1, 2023. The Chinese government prioritizes improving public access to affordable medical treatments. By the end of 2023, about 1.33 billion individuals in China—approximately 95% of the population—had basic medical insurance.
The NRDL undergoes annual updates, and inclusion on the list must be renewed every two years. The NHSA collaborates with experts in medicine, pharmacology, health economics, and actuarial science to determine which innovative medicines qualify for NRDL inclusion. Category B drugs, which include many oncology treatments, typically require varying levels of patient copayments depending on provincial policies or insurance type.
About Savolitinib
Savolitinib is an oral medication designed to selectively inhibit the MET tyrosine kinase receptor. It works by blocking abnormal activation of the MET pathway caused by mutations such as exon 14 skipping, gene amplification, or protein overexpression. This pathway is often associated with the growth of certain cancers.
Jointly developed by HUTCHMED and AstraZeneca, savolitinib is marketed by AstraZeneca in China. It is approved for patients with NSCLC who have MET exon 14 skipping alterations and who either cannot tolerate chemotherapy or have previously received systemic therapy.
Savolitinib is the first selective MET inhibitor approved in China and included in the NRDL. It is also being investigated for treating other cancers, including lung, kidney, and gastric tumors, both as a standalone therapy and in combination with other treatments.
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