According to a story from Korea Biomedical Review, the Sanofi Genzyme Korea, a subsidiary of the pharmaceutical company Sanofi, recently issued an announcement stating that the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare has recently decided to expand the insurance coverage for the company’s drug Cerezyme (imiglucerase). Cerezyme is used to treat Gaucher disease.
About Gaucher Disease
Gaucher disease is a genetic disorder which is most characterized by the abnormal buildup of the substance glucocerebroside in different areas of the body. This buildup can lead to a variety of symptoms. The disease is caused by a genetic abnormality affecting the GBA gene, which is responsible for the normal function of the enzyme that normally breaks down glucocerebroside. Symptoms of Gaucher disease include enlarged spleen and liver, discolored skin, anemia, increased risk of infection and bleeding, osteoporosis, reduce sense of smell, impaired cognition, severe joint and bone pain, muscle twitches, dementia or intellectual disability, apnea, and convulsions. Neurological symptoms vary depending on the type of disease present. Gaucher disease patients are also more likely to have Parkinson’s disease. Therapies for Gaucher include enzyme replacement therapy, Miglustat, and Eliglustat. To learn more about Gaucher disease, click here.
Expanded Treatment Access
Previously, the drug was covered by insurance for people who had the type 1 form of Gaucher disease. This is the most common type of Gaucher disease worldwide. The new expansion will allow for Cerezyme to be covered as a treatment for Gaucher disease type 3 as well. The type 3 form is more severe than type 1. It is also more common in Korea than it is in other parts of the world. Type 3 makes up just five percent of Gaucher disease cases around the world, but it makes up 38.9 percent of cases in Korea. In fact, in type 2 and type 3 makes up about half of all Gaucher disease cases in Asian countries.
The decision to expand coverage for Cerezyme came after positive results from a clinical trial in Japan that tested the impact of the drug in type 3 Gaucher disease. This new coverage will make it much easier for patients with this illness to gain access to useful treatment.
