ICER Releases Evidence Report on BCMA Therapies for Multiple Myeloma
Posted: Monday, April 12, 2021
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) recently released an Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness of three new treatments targeting the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) for heavily pretreated patients with triple class–refractory multiple myeloma who have cycled through numerous previous lines of therapy. These therapies include idecabtagene vicleucel, the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of this patient population; ciltacabtagene autoleucel, an investigational CAR T-cell therapy; and belantamab mafodotin-blmf, the antibody-drug conjugate approved in August 2020 to treat patients with resistant myeloma. The Evidence Report will be reviewed by the Midwest Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Committee—one of ICER’s three independent evidence appraisal committees comprising medical evidence experts, practicing clinicians, methodologists, and leaders in patient engagement and advocacy.
The evidence suggests that both idecabtagene vicleucel and ciltacabtagene autoleucel have the potential to help patients live substantially longer with manageable side effects, although the recently announced price for idecabtagene vicleucel would still require at least a 37% discount to reach ICER’s recommended health-benefit price benchmark. In addition, the evidence suggests that belantamab mafodotin appears to be equivalent or slightly superior to alternative three-drug regimens, and it achieves commonly cited thresholds for cost-effectiveness due in part to discontinuation rates and the high prices of the alternative combinations.
“These three new therapies that target BCMA—a new method of action—represent an important expansion of the clinical armamentarium available to patients and oncologists,” said Steven D. Pearson, MD, MSc, President of ICER.
