LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

China’s National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) announced that 310 drugs were shortlisted for potential inclusion on the 2025 National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) Eli Lilly has revealed that it plans to increase the list price of Mounjaro in the UK to address “pricing inconsistencies compared to other developed countries, including in Europe.” It will now cost between £133 and £330 per injection pen, depending on dosage, compared to £92 and £122 The European Commission has added two more medicines to the list of products undergoing Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA) under the EU Health Technology Assessment Regulation. The new additions are tarlatamab, a biologic for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, and catequentinib, a chemical for synovial sarcoma or leiomyosarcoma

Will China’s Commercial Innovative Drug Catalog…

This week, China’s National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) unveiled the list of drugs that passed a preliminary review for inclusion on the new Commercial Insurance Innovative Drug List, but concerns abound regarding the list’s practical potential to expand access and coverageWhile finalists include innovative products like PD-1 drugs, ADCs, and CAR-T therapies, clinical specialists have expressed skepticism, with at least one expecting reimbursement rates to land between 50% and 70%, leaving patients with high out-of-pocket costsStill, the country’s commercial insurance system will likely progress in the long-term, propelled by momentum from Huiminbao, an initiative that interweaves state-funded medical insurance and commercial insurance, and Shanghai’s recent policy to incentivize insurance plan innovation for biopharmaceuticals

Eli Lilly to Increase Mounjaro Prices in UK

Eli Lilly has revealed that it plans to increase the list price of Mounjaro in the UK to address “pricing inconsistencies compared to other developed countries, including in Europe.” It will now cost between £133 and £330 per injection pen, depending on dosage, compared to £92 and £122Eli Lilly said its previous price for Mounjaro in the UK had been “significantly below the European average”. The price increase will be effective from 1st September 2025Interestingly, the move comes shortly after reports that U.S. President Donald Trump has been discussing pressuring countries to spend a higher percentage of GDP on new medicines or offering tariff breaks in exchange for higher drug spending

China’s NHSA Releases NRDL Shortlist

China’s National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) announced that 310 drugs were shortlisted for potential inclusion on the 2025 National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL)Additionally, 121 drugs passed the preliminary review stage for possible inclusion on the new Commercial Insurance Innovative Drug ListFeedback on the preliminary results will be collected until Monday, August 18

EU Adds Two New Medicines to Ongoing JCA

The European Commission has added two more medicines to the list of products undergoing Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA) under the EU Health Technology Assessment RegulationThe new additions are tarlatamab, a biologic for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, and catequentinib, a chemical for synovial sarcoma or leiomyosarcomaOf the eight JCAs now currently underway, two are advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), and five have orphan drug designation

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

An official from China's National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) publicly confirmed the launch of a pivotal price mechanism for innovative drugs newly launched in China. The mechanism has fuelled industry speculation since the release of last year’s draft proposalU.S. President Donald Trump is in talks with the pharmaceutical industry regarding strategies to raise drug prices in Europe and other wealthy nations to reduce prices in the U.S.The Trump administration is planning a pilot program to cover anti-obesity medications like Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound (tirzepatide) under Medicare and Medicaid

Japan Confirms Leqembi CEA Revision Will Exclude…

Following months of debate, Japan’s Central Social Insurance Medical Council (Chuikyo) has decided that the cost-effectiveness appraisal (CEA) of Leqembi (lecanemab) will exclude public long-term care costsJapan has been discussing since 2023 whether its CEA framework should incorporate long-term care expenditures into its analyses. In Leqembi’s case, both “public healthcare” and “public healthcare plus long-term care” perspectives were explored in parallel during the CEA processThis is the first time Japan’s CEA process has addressed long-term care costs in such depth. As such, it is expected to serve as a reference point for future discussions on expanding the scope of CEA in Japan and whether to fully integrate long-term care-related savings into official price setting

Pharma Working with Trump to Lower Drug Prices, Pfizer…

During Pfizer's second quarter earnings call this week, CEO Albert Bourla told investors that pharmaceutical companies are in discussions with President Trump over Most Favored Nation (MFN) drug pricing Like many of the other top pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer is leaning in to direct-to-patient (DTP) models as a way to reduce costs and lower pricesAccording to Bourla, drugmakers are taking the Trump administration’s demands for lower prescription drug prices in the U.S. seriously and conversations have been "productive" thus far

China Confirms New Price Stabilization Mechanism for…

An official from China's National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) has publicly confirmed the launch of a pivotal price mechanism for innovative drugs newly launched in China—The mechanism has fueled industry speculation since the release of last year’s draft proposalDesigned to strike a balance between controlled healthcare expenditure and healthy levels of innovation, the mechanism will stabilize innovative drug prices and streamline national drug listing proceduresThe price mechanism will help reflect development investment and clinical value in the price of innovative therapies and is expected to utilize tiered pricing calculated according to self-assessed value metrics such as clinical benefit, quality, and supporting evidence

China Kicks Off VBP Preparations

China’s National Joint Procurement Office for Drugs has requested medical institutions to report drug volume reports that reflect changes in demand for the 55 drugs included in this year’s round of national volume-based procurement (VBP)Reports of growing usage are expected for some drugs, especially those recently added to clinical guidelines or the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL)Meanwhile, Anhui Province will lead national data collection specifically for the eight monoclonal antibody biologics included in this year’s VBP