Cost-effectiveness of polatuzumab vedotin in relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Abstract

A recent phase II trial showed that use of polatuzumab vedotin in combination with bendamustine plus rituximab (Pola-BR) in transplant-ineligible patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) resulted in longer progression-free survival and overall survival compared to bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) alone. In this study, we constructed a Markov model to assess the cost-effectiveness of Pola-BR versus BR in transplant-ineligible R/R DLBCL. We calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of each treatment strategy from a US payer perspective, using a lifetime horizon and a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Use of Pola-BR was associated with an incremental cost of $92,641 compared to BR alone ($200,905 vs $108,265, respectively), an incremental effectiveness of 1.76 QALYs (2.35 vs 0.59 QALYs, respectively), and an ICER of $52,519/QALY. These data suggest that use of Pola-BR for R/R DLBCL is likely to be cost-effective compared to BR alone.

Keywords:

• Polatuzumab vedotin
• cost-effectiveness
• DLBCL

Disclosure statement

Patel, Kothari: no conflicts of interests to disclose. Isufi: Consultant for Celgene, Astra Zeneca, Novartis, Kite. Foss: Consultant for Celgene, Seattle Genetics, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Eisai, Verastem, Miragen, Mallinckrodt, research funding from Miragen, Kura Oncology, Kyowa Kirin, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, Astex Pharmaceuticals. Huntington: Consultant for Celgene, Bayer, Genentech, Pharmacyclics, AbbVie, Novartis, research funding from DTRM Biopharm, Celgene, TG Therapeutics.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the American Society of Hematology Physician-Scientist Career Development Award.