Predictive biomarkers could help costly cancer drugs secure market access

Biomarker driven prescribing is likely to positively influence perceptions of oncology drugs for both oncologists and payers, new research indicates.

Drawing on insights from over 300 surveyed medical oncologists and 15 interviewed payers across the EU5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK), new findings from a new survey of oncologists and payers by Decision Resources Group, reveal that although an increase in biomarker testing is seen as a likely future event, the incorporation of additional biomarker tests (eg, PD-L1 expression for non-small-cell lung cancer) into the diagnosis could prove challenging in cost-conscious countries like Italy, Spain, and the UK.

Overall, however, surveyed physicians and interviewed payers are universal in their opinion that the market access of a costly novel agent would be significantly aided by the presence of a companion biomarker test.