Economic Observer reporter Liu Xiaonuo

On November 14th, the 2026 National Medical Insurance Drug Catalog and Commercial Insurance Innovative Drug Catalog were released in Suzhou. Huang Xinyu, Director of the Medical Service Management Department of the National Medical Insurance Administration, announced on site that 12 innovative drugs from 11 companies have entered the list of commercial insurance innovative drugs.

In September 2026, the Economic Observer learned on-site from the Shangbao Innovative Drug Catalog that a total of 11 companies and 12 drugs participated in price negotiations. This indicates that all drugs participating in the price negotiation of the commercial insurance innovative drug catalog have been successfully included in the catalog.

In 2025, the National Healthcare Security Administration launched the first price negotiation for the commercial insurance innovative drug catalog. A total of 121 drugs passed the formal review, 24 drugs participated in the specialized negotiation, and ultimately 19 drugs were successfully negotiated, with a success rate of about 80% (one drug was later delisted). In 2026, the number of applications decreased, with a total of 62 drugs applying for the commercial insurance innovative drug catalog, of which 58 passed the formal review. But the success rate of the final negotiation increased to 100%.

Several highly anticipated high-value drugs have been newly included in the commercial insurance innovation drug catalog, especially cell gene therapy products:

For example, the Bopida Ke Ji injection developed by Faith Medicine is the first recombinant adenovirus (rAAV) vector gene therapy drug approved for market in China, used to treat adult patients with moderate to severe hemophilia B. It failed to enter the commercial insurance innovative drug catalog in 2025 and was successfully included this time;

The Shuruiqiolonsai injection developed by Keji Pharmaceutical (02171. HK) has also been successfully included in the catalog. This drug was approved for market in June 2026, becoming the world's first solid tumor CAR-T drug.

According to Huang Xinyu, the current number of drugs in the commercial insurance innovative drug catalog has reached 28.

Huang Xinyu introduced that two drugs in the 2025 commercial insurance innovation catalog have entered the 2026 national basic medical insurance catalog, achieving a transformation path of innovative drug commercial insurance first and timely connection with basic medical insurance.

This is an important rule change in the 2026 national medical insurance negotiations: drugs that have been included in the 2025 "Catalogue of Innovative Drugs for Commercial Health Insurance" can apply to be included in the basic medical insurance catalogue. Previously, seven drugs included in the 2025 commercial insurance innovation catalog passed the formal review of the 2026 basic medical insurance catalog adjustment.

According to the on-site announcement by the Economic Observer, the two drugs that have successfully entered the dual catalog are Ruiqiolonsai Injection of WuXi AppTec (02126. HK) and Shandong New Era's Sarpropterin Hydrochloride Tablets. Among them, Ruiqiolonsai is a lymphoma CAR-T drug. Sarcopterin hydrochloride tablets are the first generic drug used in China for the treatment of rare disease hyperphenylalaninemia.

According to Huang Xinyu, as of the end of October 2026, 18 types of drugs have been equipped in 1710 medical institutions and designated retail pharmacies, with a total of nearly 30000 drug users, driving drug sales of about 600 million yuan. Compared with before being included in the catalog, the number of equipped institutions has increased by about 140%, and monthly sales have increased by 70%.

It is reported that the new version of the directory will be uniformly implemented from January 1, 2027.

(Author Liu Xiaonuo)