Benefit assessment finds no clear advantage of Halaven (Eisai) for Breast Cancer patients

In an early benefit assessment, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether Halaven (eribulin mesylate), from Eisai, offers an added benefit compared with the present standard therapy in Breast Cancer patients. According to the results of the assessment, the currently available evidence provides "hints" that Halaven may increase survival time in patients for whom taxanes or anthracyclines are no longer an option. However, it is unclear how many more weeks or months patients can survive. No survival advantage was shown in patients who can still be treated with taxanes or anthracyclines. At the same time, due to a lack of suitable data it cannot be excluded with sufficient certainty that Halaven causes greater harm in the form of side effects. Overall, IQWiG therefore concludes that an added benefit of Halaven is not proven. Halaven was approved in the EU in March 2011 for women with locally advanced or metastasizing Breast Cancer in whom the disease has progressed despite prior drug therapy.