Roche Diagnostics Korea said Thursday that its cobas EGFR Mutation Test for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who cannot get a biopsy began to receive insurance benefits on May 1.

The reimbursement will lower the burden of a tissue biopsy and drastically lower the cost of the examination by letting eligible patients pay only 5 percent of the total cost, the company said.

cobas EGFR Mutation Test

Enjoying benefits from the coverage will include NSCLC patients who have difficulty breathing, low consciousness, high bleeding risk and inability to get biopsy due to a poor general condition. Besides, the patients whose lesions are inaccessible or have high chances of massive bleeding, pneumothorax, or damage to the central nervous system will be eligible for coverage.

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, resulting in 1.59 million deaths annually. Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for approximately 85 percent of lung cancer with EGFR mutations occurring 20 to 40 percent more than other carcinomas, although it may vary according to race, sex, and smoking.

“We are happy to open up a path for non-small cell lung cancer patients to get a diagnosis and drug prescription at a rational price through the reimbursement of the cobas EGFR Mutation Test,” Richard Yiu, CEO of Roche Diagnostic Korea, said.

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