Oncology drugs and added benefit: insights from 3 European health technology assessment agencies on the role of efficacy endpoints

The evolving value assessment of cancer therapies: Results from a modified Delphi study

The move toward early detection and treatment of cancer presents challenges for value assessment using traditional endpoints. Current cancer management rarely considers the full economic and societal benefits of therapies. Our study used a modified Delphi process to develop principles for defining and assessing value of cancer therapies that aligns with the current trajectory of oncology research and reflects broader notions of value. 24 experts participated in consensus-building activities across 5 months (16 took part in structured interactions, including a survey, plenary sessions, interviews, and off-line discussions, while 8 participated in interviews). Discussion focused on: 1) which oncology-relevant endpoints should be used for assessing treatments for early-stage cancer and access decisions for early-stage treatments, and 2) the importance of additional value components and how these can be integrated in value assessments. The expert group reached consensus on 4 principles in relation to the first area (consider oncology-relevant endpoints other than overall survival; build evidence for endpoints that provide earlier indication of efficacy; develop evidence for the next generation of predictive measures; use managed entry agreements supported by ongoing evidence collection to address decision-maker evidence needs) and 3 principles in relation to the second (routinely use patient reported outcomes in value assessments; assess broad economic impact of new medicines; consider other value aspects of relevance to patients and society).

Assessment of Surrogate End Point Trends in Clinical Trials to Approve Oncology Drugs From 2001 to 2020 in Japan

Importance

A surrogate end point (SEP) is an end point used in clinical trials as an alternative for measuring the true clinical benefit. The use of SEPs in trials shortens their duration.

Objectives

To investigate the use of SEPs in clinical trials to support the approval of anticancer drugs and to determine whether confirmatory studies that use overall survival (OS) as an end point are being conducted in Japan.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this cross-sectional study, drug approvals and background information were obtained from publicly available information, such as the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency website, for anticancer drugs approved in Japan from January 2001 to December 2020. Data analysis was performed from September 2021 to March 2022.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Characteristics of approved oncology drugs in Japan, end points for pivotal clinical trials, and outcomes of confirmatory trials using OS as an end point following drug approval.

Results

There were 299 anticancer drugs approved in Japan during the study period. Of these, 142 (47.5%) were molecular-targeted drugs, the most common of which targeted non-small cell lung cancer. There were 111 (37.1%) anticancer drugs with orphan designation. From 2001 to 2005, OS was used as an end point in 1 approval (3.6%); however, from 2006 to 2020, OS was used in 86 approvals (31.7%). Of the 212 anticancer drugs approved on the basis of SEPs, confirmatory studies with OS as the end point were conducted for only 37 approvals (17.5%); for the remaining 175 approvals, studies are under way for 35 approvals (16.5%), were waivered for 75 approvals (35.4%), and were not conducted for 65 approvals (30.7%). Furthermore, in 20 drug approvals (9.4%), the conducted confirmatory studies were not effective in determining the OS, but the drugs were approved following re-examination.

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this study suggest that starting from 2005, the use of OS as an end point has increased in studies supporting the approval of anticancer drugs in Japan. However, even after 2005, approximately two-thirds of these approvals were SEP based. Postmarketing surveillance studies of the true end points are necessary to validate the use of SEPs.

Correlation of Anticancer Drug Prices with Outcomes of Overall Survival and Progression-Free Survival in Clinical Trials in Japan

Drug pricing methods vary extensively across countries. Japan calculates drug prices using cost accounting and based on the efficacy of similar drugs. This study investigated the relationship between drug prices and their clinical efficacy and usefulness using public information on anticancer drugs reimbursed by the National Health Insurance price listing between January 2009 and March 2020. We investigated drug characteristics, prices, and clinical benefits based on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Eighty anticancer drugs were approved in Japan during the study period. The largest number (28 drugs, 35.0%) was approved based on PFS, 18 (22.5%) were approved based on OS, and 13 (16.3%) based on the response rate. The mean (±SD) drug price was JPY 88,416.2 (±148,974.7), while the median drug price (with quartiles) was JPY 21,694 (JPY 4855.0-JPY 93,396.8). Drug prices were significantly higher for PFS than for OS, while cost index-the drug price to extend PFS or OS by one day-did not differ significantly between PFS and OS. The relationship between the 46 drugs approved based on OS or PFS and their prices was examined. A correlation was found between drug prices and their clinical usefulness in terms of OS but not PFS.

Correlation between clinical trial endpoints of marketed cancer drugs and reimbursement decisions in China

Objective

This study aimed to assess whether different clinical trial endpoints in pivotal trials of cancer drugs were associated with reimbursement decisions in China.

Materials and methods

Cancer drugs marketed before June 30^th, 2021 with publicly available technical review reports for application of drug registration on Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) website were reviewed. The trial design characteristics and relevant clinical outcomes [e.g., overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR)] were extracted from the technical review reports, while the reimbursement decisions were reviewed from National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) website. The differences in trial characteristics and clinical outcomes between drugs with positive reimbursement decisions and negative ones were compared by hypothesis test (Pearson's chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, independent samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test). The correlation between different clinical trial endpoints and reimbursement decisions was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.

Results

There were 112 cancer drug indications included in this study. Among these indications, 76 received a positive reimbursement decision, and the most common primary endpoints of them were PFS (42.1%) and ORR (30.3%). Taking PFS (OR = 7.333) and ORR (OR = 5.271) as the primary endpoints were more likely to receive a positive reimbursement decision compared with OS (P = 0.003). The proportion of drugs marketed with phase I (75.0%) and phase II (85.7%) clinical trials receiving positive reimbursement decisions are significantly higher than those marketed with phase III clinical trials (61.3%, P = 0.043). The magnitude of clinical benefit only had subtle influences (P_{risk benefit - OS} = 0.627, P_{risk benefit - PFS} = 0.087, P_{survival benefit - OS} = 0.545, P_{survival benefit - PFS} = 0.189) on the drug reimbursement decisions, however, the drug prices and clinical needs also made a difference on that.

Conclusion

This study found that, in Chinese drug price negotiations from 2017 to 2021, policymakers have focused more on meeting clinical needs and filling therapeutical gaps in National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL), while requirements for the selection of primary endpoints, clinical trial phases, and clinical benefits have been reduced. In the future, emphasis should be put on the use of surrogate endpoints and clinical benefits.