NICE not recommending Keytruda for first-line NSCLC

In draft guidance issued Tuesday, the U.K.'s NICE recommended against routine use of Keytruda pembrolizumab from Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to treat non-small cell lung cancer in a first-line setting. Specifically, NICE declined to recommend Keytruda to treat metastatic NSCLC in adults whose tumors express PD-L1 with at least a 50% tumor proportion score and have no EGFR or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive mutations. In January, the European Commission approved the mAb against PD-1 for the indication.

According to NICE, the most plausible incremental cost effective ratio (ICER) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained with Keytruda compared to standard of care would be greater than £50,000 ($62,021), higher than the range usually considered a cost-effective use of NHS resources. NICE also said Keytruda did not satisfy criteria for use in the Cancer Drugs Fund...