China’s 2022 NRDL Update Demonstrates Promising Pricing and Access Opportunities for Innovative Drugs With Significant Clinical Benefit

New White Paper “2022 NRDL Pricing Implementation and Access Outcomes in China” Available Now from Trinity Life Sciences

Trinity Life Sciences, a leader in global life sciences commercialization solutions, reports that China’s 2022 National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) demonstrates promising pricing and access opportunities for innovative drugs with significant clinical benefit. The new white paper “2022 NRDL Pricing Implementation and Access Outcomes in China” provides an in-depth analysis and key takeaways of the update.

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Cover image from Trinity Life Sciences' white paper, "2022 NRDL Pricing Implementation and Access Outcomes in China." (Photo credit: Trinity Life Sciences)

Since its first negotiation in 2017, the NRDL has become the most important market access pathway in China, providing broad coverage, deep penetration and uptake opportunities for listed products. NRDL negotiations adhere to a cyclical process, introducing a time lag for pricing transparency. The 2022 NRDL list took effect in March 2023, gradually unveiling pricing through subsequent tender publications. This analysis reflects the latest pricing and access trends pertinent to reimbursement in China. Notably, the 2023 NRDL was recently published on December 7, 2023, and additional insights will be provided by Trinity.

The 2022 NRDL update includes five key changes—all intended to facilitate an optimized review process. According to the paper, several notable outcomes emerged from the update: improved negotiation success rates with consistent price discounts similar to previous years, a continued focus on innovative therapy inclusion, a growing presence of multinational manufacturers and expanded coverage across diverse therapeutic areas.

The white paper also provides a deep dive into the 2022 NRDL for oncology, rare disease and chronic disease markets. In 2022, oncology remained the primary focus for payers and manufacturers, with an average discount of 58%; products in smaller indications or later treatment lines maintained high prices. The 2022 NRDL witnessed the inclusion of eight new rare disease drugs, with the majority manufactured by multinational companies. All eight rare disease drugs received a lower discount compared to rare disease drugs in 2021. Chronic disease drugs typically face significant price discounting likely due to the large patient population and implications of budget impact; however, with robust clinical data, premium pricing is achievable.

“China's healthcare industry continues its rapid evolution, and the 2022 NRDL update is a reflection of the country's commitment to enable broad access to innovative medicines and while balancing cost sustainability. This underscores the need for manufacturers to prioritize China as part of a comprehensive global commercialization strategy,” stated Maximilian Hunt, Partner in the Evidence, Value, Access and Pricing practice at Trinity Life Sciences.

“We are excited to see the opportunities this presents for multinational companies,” said Wenting Zhang, PhD, Associate Principal in the Evidence, Value, Access and Pricing practice at Trinity Life Sciences. “The outlook of China’s healthcare heads toward more promising pricing and access opportunities, especially for innovative drugs backed by robust clinical evidence.”

Trinity Life Sciences releases annual guidance surrounding each NRDL update to support life sciences executives with successfully navigating the rapidly evolving access landscape in China.

To download the white paper, please visit TrinityLifeSciences.com or click here.

An on-demand webinar, “2022 NRDL Pricing Implications and Access Outcomes” explores the latest pricing dynamics from the 2022 NRDL update that manufacturers should learn to succeed in China market access.

Life sciences executives can view the webinar here.

About Trinity Life Sciences

Trinity Life Sciences is a trusted strategic commercialization partner, providing evidence-based solutions for the life sciences. With over 25 years of experience, Trinity is committed to revolutionizing the commercial model by providing exceptional levels of service, powerful tools and data-driven insights. Trinity’s range of products and solutions includes industry-leading benchmarking solutions, powered by TGaS Advisors. To learn more about how Trinity is elevating life sciences and driving evidence to action, visit trinitylifesciences.com.

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