'JAK inh-biological agent' switching will be reimb in March

regarding atopic treatment

MOHW has issued an administrative notice regarding pharmaceutical reimbursement standards…switching is approved if the initial treatment is not effective or patients experience severe side effects

The National Health Insurance reimbursement standard for severe atopic dermatitis treatments will be extended starting March 1.

 

The key change is reimbursement coverage for switching between JAK inhibitor and biological agent.

 

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) announced on February 20 that it gave administrative notice of 'Partial revision to the pharmaceutical long-term care reimbursement.' In South Korea, the atopic dermatitis treatments that gained marketing authorization include JAK inhibitors such as AbbVie's Rinvoq (upadacitinib), Lilly's Olumiant (baricitinib), Pfizer's Cibinqo (abrocitinib), as well as biological agents such as Sanofi's Dupixent (dupilumab), and LEO Pharma's Adtralza (tralokinumab).

 

According to this administrative notice, the MOHW improved the standard so that reimbursement coverage is provided for switching to JAK inhibitor if atopic diseases are not adequately responded to or a patient lacks tolerability to initial treatment with a biological agent.

 

If a patient does not respond to a JAK inhibitor or no longer continues treatment due to side effects (recommended to stay on the switched drug for at least 6 months), one can switch to a biological agent.

 

In this case, doctors must file a doctor's note.

 

However, reimbursement has not been approved for switching between JAK inhibitors.

 

Switching to a JAK inhibitor is possible if treatment with a biological agent is not effective or a patient cannot continue treatment due to side effects.

 

Yet, Dupixent and Adtralza switching treatment has not been approved for reimbursement.

 

Meanwhile, previously, JAK inhibitors were excluded from the list of allowed drugs for switching because approval is specified for 'patients over 65 years and older whose initial treatment has failed.' Once the switching is approved, this patient group can receive treatment.