AS the first and only interleukin -17A(IL-17A) inhibitor used to treat ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in China, Scuchizumab has been included in the newly published national medical insurance catalogue. The updated medical insurance catalogue has been officially launched and implemented nationwide since March 1 this year.

With more and more biological agents coming into the market and gradually entering the medical insurance, including tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) and IL-17A inhibitor, the treatment of AS has entered the era of biological agents, and the accessibility of price has provided an additional treatment option for AS patients, so that more patients can benefit from clinical remission, disease control and imaging prognosis.

Legal basis:

Article 28 of the Social Insurance Law of the People's Republic of China conforms to the basic medical insurance drug list, diagnosis and treatment items, medical service facilities standards and emergency and rescue medical expenses, and shall be paid from the basic medical insurance fund in accordance with state regulations.

article 29 the part of the medical expenses of the insured that should be paid by the basic medical insurance fund shall be directly settled by the social insurance agency, medical institutions and pharmaceutical trading units. The administrative department of social insurance and the administrative department of health shall establish a settlement system for medical expenses in different places, so as to facilitate the insured to enjoy the basic medical insurance benefits.