17 March 2014 - The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) already assessed the added benefit of ipilimumab in advanced melanoma in 2012. A considerable added benefit was found for patients who had already received previous treatment. In the new dossier compiled by the drug manufacturer, the drug was now compared with the appropriate comparator therapy dacarbazine specified by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) also for non-pretreated patients.

Again, the manufacturer claimed a noticeable gain in survival time and thus an added benefit. This time, IQWiG did not concur with the interpretation: The effect was estimated on the basis of an indirect comparison of individual patient data. The data were very uncertain and, moreover, by unilaterally excluding patients with particularly unfavourable prognosis, the effect was biased in favour of ipilimumab. Hence an added benefit of ipilimumab in advanced melanoma for non-pretreated patients is not proven.

For more details, go to: https://www.iqwig.de/en/press/press_releases/press_releases/ipilimumab_in_advanced_melanoma_added_be...