Monoclonal antibodies and Fc-fusion protein biologic medicines: A multinational cross-sectional investigation of accessibility and affordability in Asia Pacific regions between 2010 and 2020

Background: Monoclonal antibody (mAb) and Fc-fusion protein (FcP) are highly effective therapeutic biologics. We aimed to analyse consumption and expenditure trends in 14 Asia-Pacific countries/regions (APAC) and three benchmark countries (the UK, Canada, and the US). Methods: We analysed 440 mAb and FcP biological products using the IQVIA-MIDAS global sales database. For each year between 2010 and 2020 inclusive, we used standard units (SU) sold per 1000 population and manufacture level price (standardised in 2019 US dollars) to evaluate consumption (accessibility) and expenditure (affordability). Changes of consumption and expenditure were estimated using compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Correlations between consumption, country's economic and health performance indicators were measured using Spearman correlation coefficient. Findings: Between 2010 and 2020, CAGRs of consumption in each region ranged from 7% to 34% and the CAGRs of expenditure ranged from 9% to 31%. The median consumption of biologics was extremely low in lower-middle-income economies (0·29 SU/1000 population) compared with upper-middle-income economies (1·20), high-income economies (40·94) and benchmark countries (109·55), although the median CAGRs of biologics consumption in lower-middle-income economies (31%) was greater than upper-middle-income (14%), high-income economies (13%) and benchmark countries (9%). Consumption was correlated with GDP per capita [Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r) = 0·75, p < 0·001], health expenditure as a percentage of total (r = 0·83, p < 0·001) and medical doctors’ density (r = 0·85, p < 0·001). Interpretation: There have been significant increases in mAb and FcP biologics consumption and expenditure, however accessibility of biological medicines remains unequal and is largely correlated with country's income level. Funding: This research was funded by NHMRC Project Grant GNT1157506 and GNT1196900; Enhanced Start-up Fund for new academic staff and Internal Research Fund, Department of Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong

Electronic and resonance Raman spectra of [Au2(CS3)2]2-. Spectroscopic properties of a 'short' Au(I)-Au(I) bond

The anion [Au 2(CS 3) 2] 2- has an unusually short Au-Au distance (2.80 Å) for a binuclear Au(I) complex. We report detailed Raman studies of the (n)Bu 4N + salt of this complex, including FT-Raman of the solid and UV/vis resonance Raman of dimethyl sulfoxide solutions. All five totally symmetric vibrations of the anion have been located and assigned. A band at Δv = 125 cm -1 is assigned to v(Au 2). The visible-region electronic absorption bands (384 (ε 30680) and 472 nm (ε 610 M -1 cm -1)) are attributable to CS 3 2- localized transitions, as confirmed by the dominance of v(sym)(C-S(exo)) (Δv = 951 cm -1) in RR spectra measured in this region. An absorption band at 314 nm (22 250 M -1 cm -1) is assigned as the metal-metal 1(dσ* → pσ) transition, largely because v(sym)(C-S(exo)) is not strongly enhanced in RR involving this band. Observation of the expected strong resonance enhancement of v(Au 2) was precluded as a result of masking by intense solvent Rayleigh scattering in the UV.link_to_subscribed_fulltex