BRIEF—BeiGene says newly-approved Brukinsa will be 'highly affordable' for Chinese patients

BeiGene received National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approval in China for its BTK inhibitor Brukinsa (zanubrutinib) as a second-line treatment for mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma earlier this week.

Brukinsa was approved in the USA last year to treat patients with MCL who received at least one other therapy.

BeiGene has not yet announced the price tag, but said it will be "highly affordable" for Chinese patients.

Its rival, Johnson & Johnson’s BTK inhibitor Imbruvica (Ibrutinib), is priced at 17,000 renminbi/pack(140mg x 90 tablets) ($2,398.8).

BeiGene has filed a New Drug Application (NDA) for Brukinsa in Israel and will soon prepare for its entry in the European Union.

The Beijing-based biotech expects the drug will compete with Imbruvica in the global market, which scored $8.08 billion in global sales in 2019, a 30% jump from 2018.