IQWiG backs Roche's Kadcyla for some
Germany's Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (IQWiG) said Kadcyla ado-trastuzumab emtansine from Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) has "major" additional benefit vs. Tyverb lapatinib plus the pharma's Xeloda capecitabine for HER2-positive, metastatic breast cancer in patients who previously received Roche's Herceptin trastuzumab, a taxane and an anthracycline. The European Commission approved Kadcyla in November for HER2-positive, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in patients who previously received Herceptin and/or a taxane.
IQWiG said Kadcyla had "no additional benefit" vs. radiotherapy in patients with HER2-positive, locally advanced, inoperable breast cancer; vs. an anthracycline in patients with HER2-positive, metastatic breast cancer who received prior therapy with Herceptin and a taxane but not an anthracycline; and vs. patient-individualized care in patients with HER2-positive, metastatic breast cancer previously treated with Herceptin and a taxane who are ineligible for anthracycline-containing therapy. The institute said Roche did not submit evaluable data for the three groups. ...