German watchdog IQWiG views on Perjeta and Cosentyx

The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), in a second dossier assessment of Swiss pharma giant Roche’s (ROG: SIX) cancer drug Perjeta (pertuzumab) resulted in a survival advantage for certain patients taking the drug and hence for a hint of a major added benefit.

In a further dossier assessment, the Institute now examined the benefit of the drug in its second therapeutic indication, ie, in preoperative use. In this so-called neoadjuvant treatment, pertuzumab is used in HER2-positive, locally advanced, inflammatory, or early stage breast cancer at high risk of recurrence, also in combination with trastuzumab and chemotherapy. The study data presented resulted in a hint that pertuzumab is of lesser benefit than the appropriate comparator therapy.

Mixed views on added benefit for secukinumab