30 March 2026 - Roche Korea said Monday that the Ministry of Health and Welfare has approved national health insurance coverage for the pre-filled syringe formulation of its ophthalmic drug Vabysmo, effective 1 April 2026, clearing the way for its launch in Korea.
Insurance coverage for the pre-filled syringe formulation will be applied under the same criteria as the existing vial formulation, ensuring no change in patient access despite the shift in dosage form. For neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration, coverage applies to patients with sub-foveal choroidal neovascularisation, while for diabetic macular oedema, it applies to those with haemoglobin A1C of 10% or less and central retinal thickness of 300 μm or greater. Coverage may still vary depending on individual patient conditions, and the total number of administrations per patient is capped at 14, including other anti-VEGF therapies.