Introduction:20 COVID-19 drugs temporarily included in medical insurance; "Ainuomitai," a triple-combination AIDS therapy, approved in China... BioExplorer brings you the latest "pharma" news and explores the value of biotechnology!
01
20 COVID-19 Drugs Temporarily Included in Medical Insurance
Recently, Henan Province has temporarily included 14 types of medical institution preparations, such as Jinying Qingyi Granules used for the prevention and treatment of the novel coronavirus, and 6 types of traditional Chinese medicine, such as Qingshi Granules, into the payment scope of basic medical insurance and work-related injury insurance in Henan Province. The coverage period will last until March 31, 2023. These temporarily included drugs are managed as Category B drugs, with an initial self-payment rate of 10%. If the use of the preparation exceeds the prescribed time limit or scope, the medical insurance fund will not cover it.
02
Three-in-One AIDS Therapy
"AnoMeti" Approved in China
On January 4, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China announced the approval of Aidi Pharmaceuticals' Class 1 innovative drug, Elnomitipene Tablets (brand name: Fubangde), for marketing. This product is a compound preparation (ACC008) composed of Elnoviren, Lamivudine, and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate, used to treat adult patients with initial HIV-1 infection.
According to publicly available information, ACC008 can improve the convenience and adherence of patients' medication. Patients only need to take one tablet per day and do not need to take other anti-HIV drugs, which helps to reduce the medication burden on patients and minimize the occurrence of drug resistance.
03
The Lancet: Use of Molnupiravir
Recovery accelerates, but does not reduce mortality risk
Recently, a UK-based randomized controlled trial showed that molnupiravir did not reduce the risk of death or hospitalization in vaccinated individuals with a higher risk of mortality who were infected with COVID-19, but it did help speed up recovery. The relevant paper was published in The Lancet on December 22. Previous studies have shown that the antiviral drug molnupiravir can effectively reduce the risk of hospitalization in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 infections; however, these studies were primarily conducted in unvaccinated populations.
Molnupiravir, jointly developed by MSD and Ridgeback, received Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 23, 2021. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends molnupiravir for patients at the highest risk of hospitalization.
04
Mabwell Original New Drug
9MW3011 Approved for Clinical Trials
On January 3, the clinical trial application for 9MW3011, developed by Mabwell Biotherapeutics, was accepted by the NMPA for the treatment of polycythemia vera and iron overload in β-thalassemia. 9MW3011, a novel monoclonal antibody targeting a completely new pathway, was independently developed by its U.S. subsidiary. Mechanistically, 9MW3011 works by binding to the target protein expressed on the surface of hepatocytes, upregulating the expression of hepcidin in hepatocytes, and inhibiting iron absorption and release, thereby achieving the regulation of systemic iron homeostasis.
05
Peking University Cancer Hospital Team Discovers
Model for Predicting the Effectiveness of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Gastric Cancer
Recently, a research team led by Ji Jiafu, Li Ziyu, and Xing Xiaofang from Peking University Cancer Hospital published a significant study in Molecular Cancer. The study identified six exosomal RNAs that can predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for advanced gastric cancer through RNA multi-omics analysis. Based on these six RNAs, they constructed a predictive model with an AUC value of 0.774 for predicting NACT treatment outcomes. This research established a non-invasive liquid biopsy approach based on exosomes, providing guidance for personalized NACT treatment in advanced gastric cancer.
