Enhertu added to China's health insurance plan

AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) and Daiichi Sankyo’s (TYO: 4568) breast cancer med Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) will be included in China’s state-run health insurance scheme from next year, boosting availability at the cost of reduced pricing.

China’s health insurance system plays a critical role in providing access to treatments for the country’s 1.4 billion population. New drugs added to the list are subject to an average price cut in excess of 50%.

Breast cancer, the second most common cancer among women in China after lung cancer, continues to pose a significant health burden. HER2-positive cases account for around 20% of diagnoses, a key target group for Enhertu.