Eisai's Alzheimer's Drug Lecanemab (Leqembi) Set for Mid-July China Launch with Annual Cost of Approximately RMB 180,000

On January 9, the official website of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) announced that the marketing application for lecanemab injection (Chinese trade name: Leqibao), a novel class one drug for Alzheimer's disease submitted by Eisai Co., Ltd. of Japan, has been approved. It is indicated for treating mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease.

It is reported that Leqembi is the first new Alzheimer's drug to receive full approval from the U.S. FDA in nearly 20 years, gaining full approval in the United States in July 2023, approval in Japan in September 2023, and China is the third country to approve the drug for marketing.

On the evening of January 10, the reporter learned exclusively from Eisai China,LeYiBao is expected to be priced at 2,508 yuan after its launch, with a specification of 200 milligrams (2 milliliters) per vial. This price is about one-quarter lower than the current price in the Boao pilot zone in Hainan and is comparable to the prices covered by health insurance in the United States and Japan.

Eisai Global Senior Vice President and President of Eisai China, Feng Yanhui, stated that the recommended dose of Leribao is 10 mg per kilogram of body weight, used once every two weeks. The specific cost will vary depending on the patient's weight."Based on this calculation, a patient weighing 60 kilograms would require a dosage of 600 milligrams, approximately 3 bottles of the medication, with a single-use cost of about 7,500 yuan, monthly treatment costs of around 15,000 yuan, and current annual treatment costs of approximately 180,000 yuan."

Feng Yanhui revealed that the drug is expected to be launched in China in mid-July 2024. The company is currently actively preparing for the launch and supply of the new drug to help Alzheimer's patients use the innovative drug as soon as possible and delay disease progression.

In addition, the reporter learned that the drug is currently purely imported, produced in the United States, and transported to China entirely through a cold chain.

　　It is worth mentioning that Le Yibao is a prescription drug. What channels can elderly people suspected of having Alzheimer's disease in the family currently obtain prescriptions through?In this regard, Feng Yanhui introduced that if a patient is suspected of having early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, they can visit the neurology department or memory clinic of a hospital for professional diagnosis and medication guidance; or use the "Memory Map" function in the Silver Hair Pass WeChat mini-program to search for nearby hospitals, make online appointments, and receive guidance from health consultants.

Editor: Wang Qilin