IQWiG finds added benefit for nivolumab in specific patients

In recent years, nivolumab – which has been approved in Europe since June 2017 for adults with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck -has repeatedly been subject to early benefit assessments conducted by Germany’s Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) for other oncological indications.

The IQWiG has now investigated whether the drug, marketed by US pharma major Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) under the trade name Opdivo, has an added benefit for patients in a new therapeutic indication.

According to the findings, there is an indication of considerable added benefit for patients who have progressed during platinum-based chemotherapy or up to six months after completion of this treatment. No data were available for patients with later progression. Hence for these patients, an added benefit of nivolumab in comparison with the appropriate comparator therapy is not proven.