The era where a single shot can cure one’s cancer may be imminent, but with a catch: The single-shot would cost ₩500 million.

Novartis’s novel CAR-T therapy ‘Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel)’ cleared all the steps necessary for reimbursement under the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service by receiving approval on its adequacy of reimbursement at the ‘1st Drug Reimbursement Evaluation Committee meeting’ on the 13th this month.

Although another hurdle -the drug price negotiation process with the National Health Insurance Service - still remains, Kymriah’s passing of the DREC review was in itself an encouraging event. The case is also notable in terms of its speed in review