Cost-Effectiveness of Ibrutinib for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treatment in India: Is Evidence Really at Crossroads?

In recent years, newer drugs, such as ibrutinib, have shown promising improvements in the survival of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Despite their effectiveness, concerns about their cost have arisen, prompting the need for an evaluation of their cost-effectiveness. However, recent assessments of ibrutinib's cost-effectiveness for treating CLL in India reveal divergent conclusions. The discord centers on divergent cost-effectiveness thresholds, comparator regimens, cost calculations, and outcome valuation approaches. Such discrepancies affect public health decisions and patient care. The recommendation calls for adherence to methodological guidelines by future studies, fostering consistent findings to empower policy makers and clinicians in leveraging economic evidence for informed decision making in CLL treatment strategies.

Real-World Health Care Resource Use and Costs Among Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treated With Venetoclax-Based and Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-Based Regimens in the Second-Line Setting.

PURPOSE: Real-world evidence comparing health care resource use (HRU) and costs between novel targeted therapies among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is lacking. We compared all-cause and CLL-specific HRU and costs between patients initiated on B-cell lymphoma 2 inhibitor (venetoclax)- or Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi)-based regimens in the second-line (2L) setting. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study using Optum Clinformatics Data Mart of adult patients with CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma who received 2L venetoclax- or BTKi-based regimens (January 2018-December 2021) for the first time and had ≥one CLL diagnostic claim after 2L initiation and ≥two claims for venetoclax or BTKi. Baseline characteristics were balanced using stabilized inverse probability of treatment weights. Mean monthly cost difference (MMCD) between cohorts for all-cause and CLL-specific per patient per month (PPPM) costs was estimated. Rates of PPPM-HRU were compared between cohorts using rate ratios (RRs). RESULTS: Of 280 patients, median age 75.5 years, 64.6% and 35.4% received BTKi- versus venetoclax-based regimens, respectively. Most BTKi-treated patients received monotherapy (88.4%), whereas 62.3% of venetoclax-treated patients received combination therapy with anti-CD20 agents. The median duration of 2L therapy was 11.6 and 11.0 months for BTKi versus venetoclax cohorts, respectively. All-cause total costs were lower for venetoclax versus BTKi (MMCD [SE], $-2,497.64 [$1,006.77] in US dollars (USD); P = .01), driven by lower medication costs offsetting medical costs; trends were similar for CLL-specific estimates. Outpatient HRU was higher for venetoclax versus BTKi (RR all-cause: 1.22 versus CLL-specific: 1.64). CONCLUSION: Venetoclax was associated with total monthly cost savings versus BTKis, illustrating the economic value of time-limited venetoclax-based regimens in the 2L setting.

Evaluating population-level outcomes in Chronic Lymphocytic leukemia in the era of novel therapies using the SEER registry.

In the last decade, novel agents such as BTK and BCL-2 inhibitors have revolutionized treatment of CLL/SLL, with clinical trials showing improved overall survival compared to chemotherapeutic agents. However, studies examining whether they have improved overall survival at the population level are lacking. We evaluated this by conducting a retrospective analysis of CLL/SLL patients registered in the National Cancer Institute's surveillance epidemiology and end results (SEER) database, analyzing overall survival (OS) in periods pre- and post-availability of novel agents, along with demographic information. Our results showed that median OS significantly improved over time [7.8 years (2000-2005), 9.1 years (2006-2013), and not reached (2014-2018) (p < 0.001)]. Compared to diagnosis in 2014-2018, diagnosis in earlier periods was associated with higher mortality risk (2000-2005-HR 1.32, 95 % CI 1.28-1.37, p < 0.001: 2006-2013-HR 1.09, 95 % CI 1.06-1.13, p < 0.001). Lower mortality risk was seen in patients age < 85 years whereas median household income of <$75000 was associated with higher mortality. Our study provides real-world data suggesting a possible multifactorial contribution to improvement in survival, including availability of novel agents, better monitoring, and supportive care. They also show discrepancies in overall survival for CLL/SLL patients due to socioeconomic status and demographic factors.

Real-world analysis of adverse event rates after initiation of ibrutinib among Medicare beneficiaries with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: The first-generation BTK inhibitor ibrutinib is a standard-of-care therapy in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) despite potential side effects that often lead to discontinuation. METHODS: This study used 2013-2019 claims data to describe the incidence rate of adverse events (AEs) among elderly Medicare beneficiaries newly initiating ibrutinib for CLL. RESULTS: The final sample contained 11,870 Medicare beneficiaries with CLL (mean age 77.2) newly initiating ibrutinib, of whom 65.2% discontinued over mean follow-up of 2.3 years. The overall incidence rate of AEs was 62.5 per 1000 patient-months for all discontinuers and 32.9 per 1000 patient-months for non-discontinuers. Discontinuers had a higher incidence rate of AEs per 1000 patient-months compared with non-discontinuers for all AEs examined, including infection (22.8 vs. 14.5), atrial fibrillation (15.1 vs. 7.0), anemia (21.9 vs. 14.5), and arthralgia/myalgia (19.5 vs. 13.6). CONCLUSION: In this first real-world study of a national sample of elderly US patients treated with ibrutinib, we found a clear unmet need for improved management of ibrutinib-related AEs and/or new treatments to improve real-world outcomes in patients with CLL.

Disparity in treatment patterns among Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: an analysis of patient and contextual factors.

This study characterizes the patterns and timing of CLL treatment and, to our knowledge, is the first to identify social vulnerability factors associated with CLL treatment receipt in the Medicare population. A total of 3508 Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with CLL from 2017 to 2019 were identified. We reported the proportion of individuals who received CLL treatment and the time until the first CLL treatment receipt after the first observed claim with a CLL diagnosis. Logistic regression and time-to-event models provided adjusted odds ratios and hazard ratios associated with baseline individual-level and county-level factors. Sixteen percent of individuals received CLL treatment, and the median follow-up time was 540 d. The median time to receipt of CLL treatment was 61 d. Older age and residence in a county ranked high in social vulnerability (as defined by minority status and language) were negatively associated with treatment receipt and time to treatment receipt.

Cost Effectiveness of Zanubrutinib Versus Ibrutinib in Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

BACKGROUND: While the efficacy and safety of zanubrutinib have been established in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the evidence on cost effectiveness is still lacking. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of zanubrutinib versus ibrutinib in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia from the commercial payer perspective in the USA. METHODS: A partitioned survival model was developed based on survival curves from the phase III ALPINE trial. We reconstructed patient-level data for each curve and conducted a parametric estimation to incorporate long-term clinical outcomes and treatment costs into the model. Medical costs and utilities were obtained from public data and previous cost-effectiveness studies. A discount rate of 3.0% per annum was applied and costs were adjusted to 2023 US dollars. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated by dividing the incremental costs of zanubrutinib over ibrutinib by the incremental life-years or quality-adjusted life-years. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of the results. RESULTS: Over a 10-year analysis period, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of zanubrutinib versus ibrutinib was $91,260 per life-year gained and $120,634 per quality-adjusted life-year gained, making it cost effective within a threshold of $150,000 per quality-adjusted life-year gained. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was most sensitive to drug acquisition costs and progression-free survival distributions, and the probability of zanubrutinib being cost effective was approximately 52.8%, with a 30.0% likelihood of dominance. CONCLUSIONS: Zanubrutinib is likely to be cost effective versus ibrutinib in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the USA, but the high threshold should be noted. Our findings may provide a basis for pricing strategy and reimbursement decisions for zanubrutinib.

Assessment of second primary malignancies among treated and untreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia using real-world data from the USA.

Aim: Improved management of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has resulted in a growing population of CLL survivors; these patients have a higher risk of developing second primary malignancies (SPMs) versus the general population. This retrospective cohort study aims to assess the timing, frequency, incidence and types of SPMs in treated and untreated patients with CLL in the USA, using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Medicare database, which links a nationally representative cancer registry with Medicare claims data. Patients & methods: Patients aged ≥66 years with newly diagnosed CLL between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2016, who were enrolled in Parts A and B of Medicare for ≥12 months pre-diagnosis of CLL were selected from the database. Patients were assessed for ≥36 months until the end of continuous enrollment in Medicare Parts A, B and D, a switch to a health maintenance organization, death, or end of the study period (December 2019). Results: Of 3053 patients included in the analyses, 620 (20.3%) were treated and 2433 (79.7%) were untreated within 36 months of diagnosis. Overall, 638 (20.9%) patients developed a SPM, 26.8% of patients in the treated cohort and 19.4% of patients in the untreated cohort. The most common SPMs for both cohorts were squamous cell carcinoma and acute myeloid leukemia. Among the 166 treated patients who developed a SPM, a greater proportion developed their first SPM after treatment initiation versus those who developed their first SPM prior to treatment initiation (p < 0.001). A significantly lower percentage of patients who received targeted therapy developed a SPM (p < 0.05) versus patients treated with anti-CD20 + chemotherapy. Conclusion: Findings indicate that treatment type and timing can affect SPM development in patients with CLL. Combined with previous findings, this can help inform best practices in monitoring for SPM in patients with CLL.

Cost Effectiveness of Molecular Diagnostic Testing Algorithms for the Treatment Selection of Frontline Ibrutinib for Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Clinical indications for ibrutinib reimbursement in Australia should consider the inclusion of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) harboring prognostically unfavorable TP53/IGHV genomic aberrations. This study assessed the cost effectiveness of five first-line treatment strategies in CLL for young (aged ≤ 65 years), fit patients without significant comorbidities: (1) no testing (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab [FCR] for all), (2) test for del(17p) only, (3) test for TP53 gene mutation status, (4) test for TP53 and IGHV gene mutation status and (5) no testing (ibrutinib for all). METHOD: A decision analytic model (decision tree and partitioned survival model) was developed from the Australian healthcare system perspective with a lifetime horizon. Comparative treatment effects were estimated from indirect treatment comparisons and survival analysis using several studies. Costs, utility and adverse events were derived from public literature sources. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses explored the impact of modeling uncertainties on outcomes. RESULTS: Strategy 1 was associated with 5.69 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and cost 458,836 Australian dollars (AUD). All other strategies had greater effectiveness but were more expensive than Strategy 1. At the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of 100,000 AUD per QALY gained, Strategy 1 was most cost effective with an estimated probability of 68.8%. Strategy 4 was cost effective between thresholds 155,000-432,300 AUD per QALY gained, and Strategy 5 >432,300 AUD per QALY gained. CONCLUSION: Population targeting using mutation testing for TP53 and IGHV when performed with del(17p) testing specifically in the context of frontline ibrutinib choice does not make a cost-ineffective treatment into a cost-effective treatment.

Ibrutinib versus bendamustine plus rituximab for first-line treatment of 65 or older patients with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia without del(17p)/TP53 mutation in China: a lifetime economic research study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and mortality rates of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in China have recently increased. This study performed a long-term economic evaluation of the first-line treatment strategies ibrutinib (IB) or bendamustine (BE) plus rituximab (RI) for previously untreated older patients with CLL without the del(17p)/TP53 mutation in China. METHODS: Based on clinical data from large, randomized trials, a Markov model including four disease states (event-free survival, treatment failure, post-treatment failure, and death) was used to estimate the incremental costs per quality adjusted-life year (QALY) gained from the first-line IB strategy versus the BE plus RI strategy over a 10-year period. All costs were adjusted to 2022 values based on the Chinese Consumer Price Index, and all costs and health outcomes were discounted at an annual rate of 5%. Sensitivity analysis was performed to confirm the robustness of base-case results. RESULTS: Compared to the first-line BE plus RI strategy, first-line IB treatment achieved 1.17 additional QALYs, but was accompanied by $88,046.78 (estimated in 2022 US dollars) in decremental costs per patient over 10 years. Thus, first-line treatment with IB appeared to have absolute dominance compared to the BE plus RI strategy. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of these results. CONCLUSIONS: The first-line treatment with IB is absolutely cost-effective compared to the first-line BE plus RI treatment strategy for 65 or older patients with CLL without the del (17p)/TP53 mutation from the Chinese payer perspective. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that Chinese health authorities select the former strategy for these CLL patients.

Cost-effectiveness of BTK inhibitors vs bendamustine and rituximab in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients.

Background: We aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of bruton tyrosine kinase inhibors (BTKis) versus bendamustine-rituximab (R-bendamustine) as a first-line treatment for Chinese patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Methods: A partitioned survival model was constructed using TreeAge Pro 2022 software and transition probabilities were estimated from the reported survival probabilities using parametric survival modeling. One-way analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to explore the uncertainty of the modeling results. In addition, several scenario analyses were evaluated. Results: In comparison to R-bendamustine, zanubrutinib had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER; life years) and ICER (quality-adjusted life years) of US$12,173.38 and $17,983.40, respectively. While ibrutinib had a higher ICER relative to R-bendamustine. Conclusion: Zanubrutinib was cost-effective for patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia in China.

Cost-Effectiveness of Ibrutinib as First-line Treatment for Older Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Iran.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ibrutinib versus chemoimmunotherapy for frontline treatment of elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Iran. METHODS: We developed a partitioned survival model with 3 health states (progression-free survival, post-progression survival, and death) and a lifetime horizon. State memberships were determined by parametric survival analysis of the ALLIANCE (A041202) randomized controlled trial's results, comparing first-line ibrutinib with bendamustine plus rituximab. Direct medical costs were calculated from an Iranian health system perspective. Utility values were extracted from the literature to calculate the incremental costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) associated with each strategy. To address parameter uncertainties, deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS: In the base-case analysis, ibrutinib and bendamustine plus rituximab were associated with $3739.72 and $3991.20 costs per patient as the first-line treatment strategy, respectively. They resulted in an average of 2.86 and 2.66 QALYs per patient. Thus, first-line ibrutinib was associated with 0.20 incremental QALY and $251.48 cost-saving per patient and was therefore the "dominant" strategy. In deterministic sensitivity analysis, drug prices were the key drivers of model outputs. However, none of the resulting incremental cost-effectiveness ratios exceeded the currently accepted threshold by the Iranian Food and Drug Administration ($1550 per QALY). In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, 63.3% of iterations were cost-saving and 77.4% were cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that ibrutinib as a first-line treatment appears to be the dominant strategy, compared with the standard of care, for unselected older adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Iran.

Ibrutinib discontinuation and associated factors in a real-world national sample of elderly Medicare beneficiaries with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Prior studies evaluating ibrutinib discontinuation are limited to clinical trials and selected medical centers and hence may not reflect real-world practice. This study used Medicare claims (2013-2019) to examine ibrutinib discontinuation and associated factors among elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Over a median follow-up of 2.1 years, two-thirds (65.2%) of the 11,870 new ibrutinib initiators were discontinued, with half (45.1%) of patients discontinuing within 12 months of initiation. Factors such as advanced age, lack of Part D low-income subsidy, evidence of prior CLL/SLL treatment, and cardiovascular comorbidities (e.g. atrial fibrillation) were associated with higher risk of discontinuation. Over a median of 1.2 years from discontinuation, 40% of discontinuers initiated another CLL/SLL treatment after ibrutinib discontinuation; 25% of patients restarted ibrutinib treatment at some point over follow-up. Our findings point to a large unmet need with the widely used BTKi ibrutinib and underscore the importance of ongoing development of efficacious and well-tolerated CLL/SLL therapies.

Real-world adherence and discontinuation among Medicare beneficiaries initiating venetoclax vs. BTKis in relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The treatment landscape for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been transformed by the availability of Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) and the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitor venetoclax. Despite clinical trial data supporting these novel oral agents, evidence evaluating real-world adherence is limited. This study used 2015-2019 Medicare claims data for elderly patients with relapsed/refractory CLL to assess differences in real-world adherence and discontinuation in the 12 months after treatment initiation. In the final sample of 711 venetoclax patients and 1,566 BTKi patients, we found that those initiating venetoclax tended to be younger (mean age 75.6 [SD 6.0] vs 77.6 [SD 6.9] years, p < .001) but had poorer clinical characteristics. After risk-adjustment, the venetoclax group had higher adherence (61.9% vs. 45.4%, p < .0001) and lower discontinuation when compared to the BTKi group (28.5% vs. 47.4%, p < .001). These favorable real-world findings underscore the importance of developing well-tolerated novel combinations for older adults.

Assessment of ibrutinib scheduling on leukocyte, lymph node size and blood pressure dynamics in chronic lymphocytic leukemia through pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models.

Ibrutinib is a Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitor for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It has also been associated with hypertension. The optimal dosing schedule for mitigating this adverse effect is currently under discussion. A quantification of relationships between systemic ibrutinib exposure and efficacy (i.e., leukocyte count and sum of the product of perpendicular diameters [SPD] of lymph nodes) and hypertension toxicity (i.e., blood pressure), and their association with overall survival is needed. Here, we present a semi-mechanistic pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling framework to characterize such relationships and facilitate dose optimization. Data from a phase Ib/II study were used, including ibrutinib plasma concentrations to derive daily 0-24-h area under the concentration-time curve, leukocyte count, SPD, survival, and blood pressure measurements. A nonlinear mixed effects modeling approach was applied, considering ibrutinib's pharmacological action and CLL cell dynamics. The final framework included (i) an integrated model for SPD and leukocytes consisting of four CLL cell subpopulations with ibrutinib inhibiting phosphorylated Btk production, (ii) a turnover model in which ibrutinib stimulates an increase in blood pressure, and (iii) a competing risk model for dropout and death. Simulations predicted that the approved dosing schedule had a slightly higher efficacy (24-month, progression-free survival [PFS] 98%) than de-escalation schedules (24-month, average PFS ≈ 97%); the latter had, on average, ≈20% lower proportions of patients with hypertension. The developed modeling framework offers an improved understanding of the relationships among ibrutinib exposure, efficacy and toxicity biomarkers. This framework can serve as a platform to assess dosing schedules in a biologically plausible manner.

Rituximabe associado à quimioterapia com fludarabina e ciclofosfamida para o tratamento de primeira linha da leucemia linfocítica crônica / Rituximab associated with chemotherapy with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide for the first-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

INTRODUÇÃO: A leucemia linfocítica crônica (LLC) é uma desordem linfoproliferativa, composta por linfócitos B redondos monomórficos envolvendo sangue periférico, medula óssea e órgãos linfoides. A maioria dos pacientes é assintomática ao diagnóstico e não requer tratamento. Outros apresentam a doença em estado de progressão, com necessidade de tratamento logo após o diagnóstico. A apresentação clínica geralmente é caracterizada por linfadenopatias palpáveis e/ou esplenomegalia, anemia, trombocitopenia, fadiga, febre, perda de peso não intencional, sudorese noturna e plenitude abdominal com saciedade precoce. A LLC também aumenta a vulnerabilidade a infecções por meio de alterações na imunidade humoral e mediada por células. É mais frequentemente diagnosticada entre homens, caucasianos, com idade entre 65 e 74 anos. O diagnóstico é estabelecido por hemograma, esfregaço sanguíneo e imunofenotipagem. Na avaliação do estadiamento são utilizados os sistemas Rai e Binet, baseados em indicadores físicos (presença de linfonodos, baço e/ou fígado aumentados) e parâmetros sanguíneos (anemia ou trombocitopenia). Para pacientes em boas condições físicas e ausência de comorbidades ou presença de comorbidades leves, a combinação de fludarabina, ciclofosfamida e rituximabe (FCR) pode ser utilizada como tratamento de primeira linha. PERGUNTA: A associação entre rituximabe e quimioterapia (fludarabina e ciclofosfamida) é mais eficaz, segura e custoefetiva do que a quimioterapia isolada, em primeira linha de tratamento da leucemia linfocítica crônica (LLC)? EVIDÊNCIAS CLÍNICAS: Rituximabe associado à fludarabina e ciclofosfamida (FCR) apresentou redução de 41% no risco de óbito ou progressão da doença, quando comparado ao grupo que recebeu quimioterapia (FC) (HR: 0,59; IC 95% 0,50- 0,69). A mediana de sobrevida livre de progressão (SLP) foi de 51,8 meses (IC 95% 46,2-57,6) para os indivíduos que receberam FCR em comparação a 32,8 meses (IC 95% 29,6-36,0) para quem recebeu FC. O benefício da FCR na SLP foi observado tanto para pacientes com idade < 0,0001). Dez óbitos ocorreram no grupo que recebeu FC, sendo que seis casos (60%) foram causados por infecção. No grupo que recebeu FCR ocorreram oito óbitos, desses, cinco casos (62,5%) foram relacionados à infecção. Com maior tempo de observação, o grupo tratado com FCR apresentou maior frequência de neutropenia prolongada graus 3 e 4, pelo período ≤ 1 ano após o final do tratamento, em comparação ao grupo que recebeu FC [FCR= 67 pacientes (16,6%) versus FC= 34 pacientes (8,6%); p-valor= 0,007]. Um ano após o final do tratamento a diferença não foi mais observada [FCR= 16 pacientes (4%) versus FC= 14 pacientes (3,5%); p-valor= 0,75). Toxicidade hematológica (p-valor= 0,04) e infecção bacteriana (p-valor= 0,004) foram mais frequentes entre os pacientes com 65 anos ou mais do que nos mais jovens. AVALIAÇÃO ECONÔMICA: Foi realizada uma análise de custo-utilidade comparando o uso do FCR a FC, em tratamento de primeira linha para LLC, na perspectiva do SUS. O preço considerado para a tecnologia nessa análise foi de R$264,99. Por meio de uma análise de sobrevida particionada foi simulada uma coorte hipotética, com horizonte temporal de oito anos e taxa de desconto anual de 5%. O esquema de tratamento FCR apresentou custo de tratamento por paciente igual a R$ 29.106,99, um incremental de R$14.449,29, proporcionando ganho incremental de 0,5 QALYs (quality ajusted life years) e razão de custo-efetividade incremental (RCEI ou ICER) de R$28.564,07/QALY. As variáveis com maior impacto foram a utilidade da SLP e o custo do rituximabe a partir do segundo ciclo. Na análise de sensibilidade probabilística a maioria das simulações ficaram abaixo do limiar de R$40.000/QALY (1 PIB per capita). ANÁLISE DE IMPACTO ORÇAMENTÁRIO: O cálculo do impacto orçamentário (IO) foi realizado para um horizonte temporal de cinco anos e considera exclusivamente os custos dos esquemas terapêuticos. Foi considerado um market share de 60% do esquema de tratamento FCR no primeiro ano de incorporação, com aumento de 10% ao ano até o final do horizonte temporal. A população estimada a ser beneficiada pela incorporação da tecnologia foi de 7.098 pacientes por ano, número que corresponde ao número médio de Autorizações de Procedimentos de Alta Complexidade registradas por ano entre 2017 e 2021. Dessa forma o impacto orçamentário incremental variou de R$ 11.875.890,94 a R$ 26.776.069,32. RECOMENDAÇÕES INTERNACIONAIS: As quatro agências de ATS avaliadas (NICE, SMC, CADTH e PBAC) recomendam o uso de rituximabe em combinação com fludarabina e ciclofosfamida como uma opção para o tratamento de primeira linha de LLC. MONITORAMENTO DO HORIZONTE TECNOLÓGICO: Foram identificados sete medicamentos: dois da classe de inibidores de tirosina quinase de Bruton administrados por via oral (orelabrutinibe e pirtobrutinibe), dois anticorpos monoclonais administrados por via intravenosa (ublituximabe e lirilumabe), duas vacinas peptídicas subcutâneas derivadas de PD-L1 e PD-L2 (IO-103 e IO-120 + IO-103) e um inibidor beta da proteína quinase C (MS-553) administrado por via oral. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: A evidência clínica de eficácia e segurança apresentou superioridade do rituximabe em associação a fludarabina e ciclofosfamida, para indivíduos hígidos, mais jovens e sem comorbidades. Com relação a efetividade, o esquema FCR se mostrou custo-efetivo, com um ganho em QALY de 0,5 em comparação ao FC. A razão de custoefetividade incremental (RCEI ou ICER) foi de R$28.564,07/QALY (abaixo do limiar de 1 PIB per capita). PERSPECTIVA DO PACIENTE: A chamada pública de número 02/2023 para participar da Perspectiva do Paciente sobre o tema foi aberta de 13/02/2023 a 26/02/2023 e duas pessoas se inscreveram. O participante relatou que foi diagnosticado com LLC em 2009, quando tinha 50 anos de idade. O estágio da doença foi considerado Rai II e Binet B, com risco intermediário. Realizou o tratamento com FCR, em seis ciclos de aplicações. O primeiro foi realizado com o paciente internado, em dois dias de aplicação, o primeiro com rituximabe e o seguinte com a fludarabina e ciclofosfamida. Os ciclos seguintes foram realizados em ambulatório. Ele relatou que teve evento adverso, como a perda de neutrófilos, mas ao fim dos seis ciclos, que foi em junho de 2010, já estava estabilizado e com a LLC em remissão. RECOMENDAÇÃO PRELIMINAR DA CONITEC: Os membros do Comitê de Medicamentos, presentes na 117ª Reunião Ordinária da Conitec, realizada no dia 28 de março de 2023, deliberaram por unanimidade que a matéria fosse disponibilizada em consulta pública com recomendação preliminar favorável à incorporação ao SUS do rituximabe associado à quimioterapia com fludarabina e ciclofosfamida para o tratamento de primeira linha da leucemia linfocítica crônica. Para essa recomendação, a Conitec considerou a tecnologia eficaz, segura e custo-efetiva. CONSULTA PÚBLICA: Foi realizada entre 02/05/2023 e 22/05/2023 a Consulta Pública nº 15/2023. Foram recebidas 14 contribuições, sendo 10 pelo formulário para contribuições técnico-científicas e quatro pelo formulário para contribuições de experiência ou opinião de pacientes, familiares, amigos ou cuidadores de pacientes, profissionais de saúde ou pessoas interessadas no tema. Das 10 contribuições técnico-científicas, sete foram de pessoa física (profissionais de saúde) e três de pessoa jurídica (organização de sociedade civil). Além das contribuições descritas no próprio formulário, também foram anexados quatro documentos: dois ofícios da Associação Brasileira de Hematologia, Hemoterapia e Terapia Celular ­ ABHH; um ofício da Associação Brasileira de Linfoma e Leucemia ­ ABRALE e uma nota da Secretaria Estadual de Saúde de Minas Gerais ­ SES-MG. Todas as contribuições e documentos apresentaram argumentações favoráveis à recomendação preliminar da Conitec. Sobre as contribuições de experiência e opinião, foram quatro no total, todas enviadas por pessoas físicas, sendo três concordantes com a recomendação preliminar e uma que declarava não ter opinião formada sobre o tema. Todas as contribuições foram descritas no próprio formulário, nenhum documento foi anexado. Não foram enviadas contribuições discordantes da recomendação preliminar relacionadas às informações sobre evidências clínicas, avaliação econômica e impacto orçamentário. RECOMENDAÇÃO FINAL DA CONITEC: Os membros do Comitê de Medicamentos, presentes na 120ª Reunião Ordinária da Conitec, no dia 29 de junho de 2023, deliberaram por unanimidade, recomendar a incorporação do rituximabe associado à quimioterapia com fludarabina e ciclofosfamida para o tratamento de primeira linha da leucemia linfocítica crônica. Não foram acrescentadas informações durante a consulta pública que pudessem modificar a recomendação preliminar da Conitec. Foi assinado o Registro de Deliberação nº 835/2023. DECISÃO: Incorporar, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS, o rituximabe associado à quimioterapia com fludarabina e ciclofosfamida para o tratamento de primeira linha.

Geriatric assessment measures are predictive of outcomes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) commonly affects older adults. However, few studies have examined the relationship between baseline geriatric domains and clinical outcomes in this population. Here, we aim to evaluate the use of a comprehensive geriatric assessment in older (>65 years) untreated patients with CLL to predict outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a planned analysis of 369 patients with CLL age 65 or older treated in a phase 3 randomized trial of bendamustine plus rituximab versus ibrutinib plus rituximab versus ibrutinib alone (A041202). Patients underwent evaluations of geriatric domains including functional status, psychological status, social activity, cognition, social support, and nutritional status. We examined associations among baseline geriatric domains with grade 3+ adverse events using multivariable logistic regression and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using multivariable Cox regression models. RESULTS: In this study, the median age was 71 years (range: 65-87). In the combined multivariable model, the following geriatric domains were significantly associated with PFS: Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) - social activities survey score (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] 0.974(0.961, 0.988), p = 0.0002) and nutritional status (≥5% weight loss in the preceding six months: (HR [95% CI] 2.717[1.696, 4.354], p < 0.001). MOS - social activities score [HR (95% CI) 0.978(0.958, 0.999), p = 0.038] was associated with OS. No geriatric domains were significantly associated with toxicity. There were no statistically significant interactions between geriatric domains and treatment. DISCUSSION: Geriatric domains of social activity and nutritional status were associated with OS and/or PFS in older adults with CLL. These findings highlight the importance of assessing geriatric domains to identify high-risk patients with CLL who may benefit from additional support during treatment.

Cost-effectiveness of targeted treatment vs chemoimmunotherapy in treatment-naive unfit CLL without TP53 aberrations.

Several targeted treatments, such as venetoclax + obinutuzumab (VenO) and ibrutinib, have been developed to treat patients with treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and have been shown to improve progression-free survival compared with chlorambucil + obinutuzumab (ClbO). However, novel targeted agents are associated with a significant cost investment. The objective of this study was to investigate the cost-effectiveness of VenO compared with ClbO and ibrutinib in treatment-naive CLL without del17p/TP53 mutation in Denmark. We used a decision-analytic modeling approach to simulate hypothetical cohorts of patients with CLL from the initiation of first-line treatment to death, including the full treatment pathway and second-line therapy. VenO, ClbO, or ibrutinib was included as first-line therapy followed by either Ven + rituximab or ibrutinib. Model outcomes were expected quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), life years (LYs), and cost per patient, which were used to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) with a willingness to pay from €23 600 to €35 600 per QALY. Compared with ClbO, VenO was associated with a QALY gain of 1.30 (1.42 LYs) over a lifetime. The incremental cost was €12 360, resulting in an ICER of €9491 per QALY gained, indicating that VenO is cost-effective. Compared with VenO, ibrutinib was associated with a QALY gain of 0.82 (1.74 LYs) but at a substantially increased incremental cost of €247 488 over a lifetime horizon. The ICER was €302 156 per QALY, indicating that ibrutinib in first-line treatment would not be considered cost-effective in Danish health care, compared with VenO. Future analyses in fit patients with CLL are needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of VenO.

Impact of Fixed-Duration Oral Targeted Therapies on the Economic Burden of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Canada.

BACKGROUND: Continuous oral targeted therapies (OTT) represent a major economic burden on the Canadian healthcare system, due to their high cost and administration until disease progression/toxicity. The recent introduction of venetoclax-based fixed-duration combination therapies has the potential to reduce such costs. This study aims to estimate the prevalence and the cost of CLL in Canada with the introduction of fixed OTT. METHODS: A state transition Markov model was developed and included five health states: watchful waiting, first-line treatment, relapsed/refractory treatment, and death. The number of CLL patients and total cost associated with CLL management in Canada for both continuous- and fixed-treatment-duration OTT were projected from 2020 to 2025. Costs included drug acquisition, follow-up/monitoring, adverse event, and palliative care. RESULTS: The CLL prevalence in Canada is projected to increase from 15,512 to 19,517 between 2020 and 2025. Annual costs were projected at C$880.7 and C$703.1 million in 2025, for continuous and fixed OTT scenarios, respectively. Correspondingly, fixed OTT would provide a total cost reduction of C$213.8 million (5.94%) from 2020 to 2025, compared to continuous OTT. CONCLUSIONS: Fixed OTT is expected to result in major reductions in cost burden over the 5-year projection, compared to continuous OTT.

Time and personnel costs associated with adverse event (AE) management among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

OBJECTIVES: Novel therapies improve clinical outcomes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), although adverse event (AE) profiles differ. This study evaluated time and personnel costs of AE management among healthcare professionals (HCPs) treating patients with CLL with novel therapies. METHODS: A non-interventional prospective survey was conducted over 2 months. Eligible HCPs reported the time per day spent performing AE management activities for CLL patients treated with acalabrutinib, ibrutinib, or venetoclax. Mean time and personnel costs (USD) per activity were summarized and used to estimate the total annual costs of AE management for an average-sized oncology practice. RESULTS: For an average-sized practice (28 HCPs with an average of 56 CLL patients), the mean annual personnel cost of AE management for CLL patients on novel agents was estimated at $115,733. The personnel cost associated with acalabrutinib ($20,912) was less than half that of ibrutinib ($53,801) and venetoclax ($41,884), potentially due to fewer severe AEs and less time spent by oncologists managing AEs compared to other HCP types. CONCLUSION: The substantial burden of AE management for patients with CLL may vary by treatment used. Acalabrutinib was associated with lower annual costs of AE management at an oncology practice level compared to ibrutinib and venetoclax.