Cost-effectiveness analysis of finotonlimab in combination with bevacizumab biosimilar SCT510 as first-line therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Phase III trial NCT04560894 showed finotonlimab plus bevacizumab biosimilar SCT510 (FIN-BEV) improved survival over sorafenib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the cost-effectiveness of FIN-BEV relative to sorafenib remains uncertain. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of FIN-BEV as a first-line treatment for advanced HCC from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system, compared to sorafenib. METHODS: A partitioned survival model with three health states was built in TreeAge Pro 2022 using NCT04560894 data. Drug costs were calculated based on national bid-winning prices, while other costs and utility values were obtained from published Chinese literature. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the model. RESULTS: FIN-BEV yielded 2.43 QALYs at $66,740.79 versus sorafenib's 1.63 QALYs at $14,241.13. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $65,717.80/QALY, exceeding the willingness-to-pay threshold of $27,906/QALY. The probability of FIN-BEV being cost-effective as a first-line treatment for advanced HCC was 0.2%. Key factors influencing the model results included the utility value of progression-free survival, the cost of SCT510, body weight, the utility value of progressive disease, and the cost of finotonlimab. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system, FIN-BEV does not represent a cost-effective first-line treatment for advanced HCC when compared to sorafenib.