Nine NCEs added to Japan's NHI drug list

Among nine New Chemical Entities comprising14 products added to Japan's National Health Insurance drug price list last month, was Pfizer Japan's Selara (eplerenone), for hypertension. The drug's NHI prices for 25mg and 50mg tablets were set at 49.00 yen and 93.40 yen, respectively. Sales of Selara are expected to reach 690.0 million yen ($5.9 million) for the first year and peak at 18.56 billion yen in the 10th year.

Toyama's Geninax (garenoxacin mesylate hydrate), for several infectious diseases, was set at 296.50 yen for a 200mg tablet. A 15% usefulness premium was granted because the drug is indicated for diseases caused by penicillin-resistant pneumococcus, which existing agents are not. Expected first and the fifth year peak sales will be 3.73 billion yen and 16.05 billion yen, respectively.

The price of Topina (topiramate) from Kyowa Hakko Kogyo, for epilepsy, was set at 104.80 yen and 171.60 yen for 50mg tablet and 100mg tablet, respectively. In the first year, sales for the agent are expected to reach 380.0 million yen, peaking at 6.39 billion yen in the 10th.