10 March 2017 - Analyses of evidence on comparative effectiveness raise questions about current step therapy protocols, while net prices for all targeted immune modulators found to be too high in proportion to their added clinical value for patients.

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has released an evidence report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of targeted immunomodulatory drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This Evidence Report will be the subject of the upcoming public meeting of the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (New England CEPAC) on March 24, 2017.

The report evaluates the evidence on targeted immune modulators (TIMs), used alone or in combination with conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), as compared to conventional DMARDs alone. It focuses on the clinical effectiveness, potential harms, and comparative value of treating moderately-to-severely active RA in patients who have had inadequate response or intolerance to conventional DMARDs. The review also includes an evaluation of two agents currently under regulatory review for this indication: sarilumab (Kevzara, Sanofi and Regeneron) and baricitinib (Olumiant, Eli Lilly).

Read ICER press release