IQWiG now finds “major” benefit for Xtandi

In an early benefit assessment under Germany’s Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG) in November 2013, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has determined an added benefit for USA-based Medivation (Nasdaq: MDVN) and Japanese partner Astellas Pharma’s (TSE: 4503) Xtandi (enzalutamide)over the appropriate comparator therapy specified by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA).

Previously, due to insufficient data, not more than a “hint” was found for this protate cancer drug. Moreover, this hint only had the extent “considerable” in patients with visceral metastases, ie, secondaries in internal organs (The Pharma Letter December 9, 2013).

The increasing number of sufferers and the uptake of new drugs will see the prostate cancer market grow from $4.4 billion in 2012 to $6.6 billion by 2021, according to independent analyst Datamonitor Healthcare, which says the prostate cancer market is expected to grow by 50% over the next nine years (TPL September 6, 2013).