Wedoany.com Report-Dec.8, China unveiled its first Innovative Drug Catalog on Sunday in Guangzhou, selecting 19 high-value medicines for recommended coverage under commercial health insurance plans. The list offers a new market pathway for advanced therapies previously considered too costly for the state insurance reimbursement.

Among the approved drugs are Eli Lilly's Alzheimer's treatment Kisunla, Eisai's Leqembi (also for Alzheimer's), oncology medicines from Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb, and five Chinese-developed CAR-T cell therapies. BeOne Medicines Ltd. is the only company with two products included.

To gain entry, manufacturers agreed to negotiated discounts that private insurers must honour nationwide. Reported price reductions range from 15% to 50% — substantially smaller than the typical 60% cuts required for inclusion in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL).

The catalog addresses growing demand for innovative treatments for cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes and rare diseases amid China's ageing population. By shifting part of the payment burden to commercial insurance, the initiative allows drugmakers to maintain higher pricing than under the state system while expanding patient access.

Analysts expect the catalog to grow significantly, potentially reaching 300 medicines by 2027, gradually strengthening the role of private insurance in funding cutting-edge therapies.

The announcement coincided with the annual NRDL update, which added 114 new drugs effective 1 January 2026, including Eli Lilly's diabetes therapy Mounjaro. Both lists take effect simultaneously, providing complementary channels for novel medicines in China's 1.4 billion population.