Leqembi (lecanemab), an Alzheimer’s disease treatment co-developed by Eisai Co., Ltd (TYO: 4523) and Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB), has been included in the coverage scope of “Qihuibao,” a commercial supplementary health insurance program in Zibo city, Shandong province, China. The drug received approval in China in January of this year for the treatment of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and/or mild AD dementia.
Leqembi is a humanized anti-soluble aggregated amyloid-beta (Aβ) monoclonal antibody that binds to soluble Aβ and insoluble Aβ aggregates, which are a major component of Aβ plaques associated with AD. The drug’s mechanism of action involves reducing Aβ protofibrils and Aβ plaques in the brain, making it the world’s first fully approved treatment method that slows disease progression and cognitive and brain function decline. This provides patients with more time for treatment and an improved quality of life.
Now, Leqembi is covered by Qihuibao’s outpatient specific high-value drug list, which has an annual deductible of RMB 20,000 (USD 2,824) and a cumulative maximum compensation limit of RMB 1.5 million (USD 211,766). The inclusion of Leqembi in this insurance scheme is expected to significantly reduce the financial burden for patients seeking this innovative treatment.- Flcube.com
