First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Background: The IMbrave 150 trial revealed that atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (atezo–bev) improves survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (1 year survival rate: 67.2% vs. 54.6%). We assessed the cost-effectiveness of atezo–bev vs. sorafenib as first-line therapy in pat...

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Main Authors: Chi-Leung Chiang, Sik-Kwan Chan, Shing-Fung Lee, Horace Cheuk-Wai Choi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
Series:Cancers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/5/931
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author Chi-Leung Chiang
Sik-Kwan Chan
Shing-Fung Lee
Horace Cheuk-Wai Choi
author_facet Chi-Leung Chiang
Sik-Kwan Chan
Shing-Fung Lee
Horace Cheuk-Wai Choi
author_sort Chi-Leung Chiang
collection DOAJ
description Background: The IMbrave 150 trial revealed that atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (atezo–bev) improves survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (1 year survival rate: 67.2% vs. 54.6%). We assessed the cost-effectiveness of atezo–bev vs. sorafenib as first-line therapy in patients with unresectable HCC from the US payer perspective. Methods: Using data from the IMbrave 150, we developed a Markov model to compare the lifetime cost and efficacy of atezo–bev as first-line systemic therapy in HCC with those of sorafenib. The main outcomes were life-years, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), lifetime costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Results: Atezo–bev demonstrated a gain of 0.44 QALYs, with an additional cost of USD 79,074. The ICER of atezo–bev was USD 179,729 per QALY when compared with sorafenib. The model was most sensitive to the overall survival hazard ratio and body weight. If we assumed that all patients at the end of the IMbrave 150 trial were cured of HCC, atezo–bev was cost-effective (ICER USD 53,854 per QALY). However, if all patients followed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data, the ICER of atezo–bev was USD 385,857 per QALY. Reducing the price of atezo–bev by 20% and 29% would satisfy the USD 150,000/QALY and 100,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold. Moreover, capping the duration of therapy to ≤12 months or reducing the dosage of bev to ≤10 mg/kg would render atezo–bev cost-effective. Conclusions: The long-term effectiveness of atezo–bev is a critical but uncertain determinant of its cost-effectiveness. Price reduction would favorably influence cost-effectiveness, even if long-term clinical outcomes were modest. Further studies to optimize the duration and dosage of therapy are warranted.
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spelling doaj.art-79b3b096048e4899a6c77ddd8042838a2023-12-11T18:11:38ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942021-02-0113593110.3390/cancers13050931First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Cost-Effectiveness AnalysisChi-Leung Chiang0Sik-Kwan Chan1Shing-Fung Lee2Horace Cheuk-Wai Choi3Department of Clinical Oncology, University of Hong Kong, Hong KongDepartment of Clinical Oncology, University of Hong Kong, Hong KongDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong KongDepartment of Clinical Oncology, University of Hong Kong, Hong KongBackground: The IMbrave 150 trial revealed that atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (atezo–bev) improves survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (1 year survival rate: 67.2% vs. 54.6%). We assessed the cost-effectiveness of atezo–bev vs. sorafenib as first-line therapy in patients with unresectable HCC from the US payer perspective. Methods: Using data from the IMbrave 150, we developed a Markov model to compare the lifetime cost and efficacy of atezo–bev as first-line systemic therapy in HCC with those of sorafenib. The main outcomes were life-years, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), lifetime costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Results: Atezo–bev demonstrated a gain of 0.44 QALYs, with an additional cost of USD 79,074. The ICER of atezo–bev was USD 179,729 per QALY when compared with sorafenib. The model was most sensitive to the overall survival hazard ratio and body weight. If we assumed that all patients at the end of the IMbrave 150 trial were cured of HCC, atezo–bev was cost-effective (ICER USD 53,854 per QALY). However, if all patients followed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data, the ICER of atezo–bev was USD 385,857 per QALY. Reducing the price of atezo–bev by 20% and 29% would satisfy the USD 150,000/QALY and 100,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold. Moreover, capping the duration of therapy to ≤12 months or reducing the dosage of bev to ≤10 mg/kg would render atezo–bev cost-effective. Conclusions: The long-term effectiveness of atezo–bev is a critical but uncertain determinant of its cost-effectiveness. Price reduction would favorably influence cost-effectiveness, even if long-term clinical outcomes were modest. Further studies to optimize the duration and dosage of therapy are warranted.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/5/931atezolizumab plus bevacizumabhepatocellular carcinomacost-effective analysis
spellingShingle Chi-Leung Chiang
Sik-Kwan Chan
Shing-Fung Lee
Horace Cheuk-Wai Choi
First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Cancers
atezolizumab plus bevacizumab
hepatocellular carcinoma
cost-effective analysis
title First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
title_full First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
title_fullStr First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
title_full_unstemmed First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
title_short First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
title_sort first line atezolizumab plus bevacizumab versus sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma a cost effectiveness analysis
topic atezolizumab plus bevacizumab
hepatocellular carcinoma
cost-effective analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/5/931
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AT sikkwanchan firstlineatezolizumabplusbevacizumabversussorafenibinhepatocellularcarcinomaacosteffectivenessanalysis
AT shingfunglee firstlineatezolizumabplusbevacizumabversussorafenibinhepatocellularcarcinomaacosteffectivenessanalysis
AT horacecheukwaichoi firstlineatezolizumabplusbevacizumabversussorafenibinhepatocellularcarcinomaacosteffectivenessanalysis