NICE Recommends Roche’s Tecentriq as First-Line Monotherapy for PD-L1-Positive Metastatic NSCLC in England
Roche
Oncology Drug Research, Development, and Manufacturing
NICE
NICE is a non-departmental public body of the UK Department of Health, primarily responsible for: National Health Service, clinical practice of health technologies, guidelines for health promotion and disease prevention, and social care services. It serves the UK NHS.
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The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently issued guidelines recommending Roche's anti-PD-L1 therapy, Tecentriq, as a monotherapy for the first-line treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tecentriq is specifically indicated for adult patients with metastatic NSCLC whose tumors exhibit PD-L1 expression on at least 50% of tumor cells or at least 10% of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, and who lack EGFR or ALK genomic aberrations.
Tecentriq belongs to the PD-(L)1 cancer immunotherapy family. It selectively binds to the PD-L1 protein expressed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, blocking the interaction of PD-L1 with PD-1 and B7.1 receptors, thereby activating T cells.
Results from the Phase III IMpower110 study showed that, compared with chemotherapy, Tecentriq monotherapy as first-line treatment for PD-L1-positive metastatic NSCLC significantly prolonged overall survival (median OS: 20.2 months vs 13.1 months) and progression-free survival (median PFS: 8.1 months vs 5.0 months).
Although there is no direct evidence comparing Tecentriq with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy Keytruda, Roche conducted an indirect comparative analysis incorporating data from the IMpower110 trial and two trials comparing Keytruda with chemotherapy (KEYNOTE-024 and KEYNOTE-042).
Indirect comparison results indicate that Tecentriq is as effective as Keytruda in delaying disease progression and prolonging patient survival. However, NICE stated that uncertainty remains, as indirect comparisons do not constitute direct evidence.
NICE stated in its guidelines, "Despite uncertainties in the indirect comparison, the cost-effectiveness of Tecentriq falls within a range that NICE considers acceptable, and it can be used within NHS resources. Therefore, Tecentriq is recommended."
Source: NICE recommends Tecentriq for first-line NSCLC -PharmaTimes
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