Costs of bevacizumab and pemetrexed for advanced non-squamous NSCLC in Italy and Germany

• Published in: Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Netherlands), 2010-08, Vol.69, p.S18-S23
• Main Authors: Bischoff, Helge G, Heigener, David F, Walzer, Stefan, Nuijten, Mark
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal - economics; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - economics; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Bevacizumab; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - economics; Cisplatin - administration & dosage; Cost; Deoxycytidine - administration & dosage; Deoxycytidine - analogs & derivatives; Drug Costs; Germany; Glutamates - administration & dosage; Glutamates - economics; Guanine - administration & dosage; Guanine - analogs & derivatives; Guanine - economics; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Italy; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - economics; Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); Pemetrexed; Pulmonary/Respiratory
• ISSN: 0169-5002; 1872-8332
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-5002(10)70134-3

Abstract The new targeted agent bevacizumab in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine, and a third-generation chemotherapy pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin, have been approved as first-line treatment for patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). An indirect comparison between bevacizumab plus cisplatin and gemcitabine and pemetrexed plus cisplatin showed that bevacizumab (plus cisplatin and gemcitabine) achieved a favourable hazard ratio in terms of progression-free survival among patients with advanced NSCLC. This analysis aimed to compare the monthly cost of these treatments for advanced non-squamous NSCLC in Italy and Germany. The comparison used country specific cost data and adopted the payer perspective in Italy and Germany. The monthly cost of bevacizumab, including administration cost, as a single agent was €1,509 and €2,564 less than pemetrexed in Italy and Germany, respectively. The monthly treatment cost of bevacizumab plus cisplatin and gemcitabine was €1,001 and €446 less than pemetrexed plus gemcitabine in Italy and Germany, respectively. Results indicate that clinical benefits with bevacizumab plus cisplatin and gemcitabine therapy are achieved at a lower monthly cost than pemetrexed plus gemcitabine doublet therapy. Therefore, from a budget perspective, bevacizumab should be considered as a preferred targeted treatment of choice for advanced non-squamous NSCLC.