Beyond efficacy parity: a novel cost-equilibrium framework for value assessment of competing third-line therapies in metastatic colorectal cancer

Fruquintinib demonstrates comparable efficacy with superior safety and cost-effectiveness in third-line mCRC. Regorafenib's pricing exceeds its clinical value by twofold, underscoring systemic misalignment between drug costs and therapeutic benefit. These findings advocate for value-driven pricing reforms integrating toxicity-related economic burdens and provide a replicable framework for indirect treatment comparisons in oncology. However, the small sample size reduced statistical power, potentially biasing the findings.