Cost–effectiveness analysis for avelumab first-line maintenance treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma in Scotland

Aim

The cost–effectiveness of avelumab first-line maintenance treatment for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma in Scotland was assessed.

Materials & methods

A partitioned survival model was developed comparing avelumab plus best supportive care (BSC) versus BSC alone, incorporating JAVELIN Bladder 100 trial data, costs from national databases and published literature and clinical expert validation of assumptions. Incremental cost–effectiveness ratio (ICER) was estimated using lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALY).

Results

Avelumab plus BSC had incremental costs of £9446 and a QALY gain of 0.63, leading to a base-case (deterministic) ICER of £15,046 per QALY gained, supported by robust sensitivity analyses.

Conclusion

Avelumab first-line maintenance is likely to be a cost-effective treatment for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma in Scotland.