Cost-effectiveness of Nivolumab Plus Cabozantinib Versus Cabozantinib as First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

We first evaluated the cost-effectiveness of nivolumab plus cabozantinib compared with cabozantinib alone as a first-line treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) from a US healthcare payer perspective. In the present study, we found that nivolumab plus cabozantinib was not cost-effective compared with cabozantinib alone for first-line treatment of mRCC. Objectives: We first evaluated the cost-effectiveness of nivolumab plus cabozantinib compared with cabozantinib alone as a first-line treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) from a US healthcare payer perspective. In the present study, we found that nivolumab plus cabozantinib was not cost-effective compared with cabozantinib alone for first-line treatment of mRCC. Methods: This economic evaluation study used a 3-state partitioned survival model to assess the cost-effectiveness of nivolumab plus cabozantinib versus cabozantinib alone. The observed Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival and PFS were digitized from the CheckMate 9ER and CABOSUN trials and the long-ter m survivals (over a lifetime horizon) beyond the end of the trial were extrapolated using the Log-Logistic model. The cost and health preference data were collected from published literature before. Results: The estimated cost for nivolumab plus cabozantinib group was 654 851.32 USD, which was higher than 312 360.47 USD estimated for cabozantinib alone group, resulting in an incremental cost (IC) of 342 490.85 USD. Compared with cabozantinib alone group, nivolumab plus cabozantinib group gains 1.19 QALYs, resulting the ICER was 288 443.23 USD per QALY. One-way sensitivity analysis suggested the cost of nivolumab, the discount rate, and the cost of cabozantinib had a great impact on the ICER. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curves showed the probability of nivolumab plus cabozantinib being cost-effective was 9.9% at a threshold of 150,000 USD per QALY. Conclusion: The findings of this economic evaluation suggest nivolumab plus cabozantinib is unlikely to be cost-effective compared with cabozantinib alone as first-line treatment for mRCC at WTP thresholds of 150,000 USD per QALY from the perspective of US payers. A substantial price reduction for nivolumab would be needed to achieve favorable cost-effectiveness.