Pembrolizumab vs cemiplimab for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with PD-L1 expression levels of at least 50%: A network meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis

BackgroundPembrolizumab and cemiplimab have been approved as treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab compared with that of cemiplimab in the treatment of advanced NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression from a societal perspective in the United States. Materials and methodsCost-effectiveness analysis integration of the network meta-analysis framework was performed using data from the EMPOWER-Lung 1, KEYNOTE 024, and KEYNOTE 042 phase 3 randomized clinical trials. A network meta-analysis including 2289 patients was constructed, and the Markov and partitioned survival (PS) models were used to assess the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab compared with that of cemiplimab for the treatment of high PD-L1 expression (≥50% of tumor cells). The time horizon was 10 years. The main outcomes were overall costs, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), life-years, incremental net health benefits (INHB), and incremental net monetary benefits (INMB). The robustness of the model was verified using one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses, and subgroup analyses were conducted. ResultsTreatment of advanced NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression with pembrolizumab achieved 0.093 QALYs and was associated with an incremental cost of $10,657 compared with cemiplimab, yielding an ICER of $114,246/QALY. The ICER in the PS model was similar to that in the Markov model, with a difference of $3,093/QALY. At a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $100,000/QALY, INHB, and INMB of pembrolizumab were -0.013 QALYs and -$1,329, respectively, and the probability of cemiplimab was 51% when compared with pembrolizumab. When the WTP threshold increased to $150,000/QALY, the INHB and INMB of pembrolizumab were 0.022 QALYs and $3,335, respectively, and the probability of pembrolizumab was 51.85%. One-way sensitivity analysis indicated that the models were sensitive to pembrolizumab and cemiplimab costs. Subgroup analysis revealed that treatment with pembrolizumab was related to a higher INHB in several subgroups, including patients with brain metastases at baseline. ConclusionOur findings suggest that the WTP threshold should be considered when choosing between cemiplimab and pembrolizumab to treat advanced NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression. Reducing the cost of pembrolizumab may lead to valuable outcomes.