IQWiG publishes positive report on use of Optune for glioblastoma

In November 2018, the German Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) commissioned IQWiG to prepare its report, which IQWiG did in an accelerated procedure, known as a rapid report. IQWiG sent this rapid report to the G-BA in May 2019. G-BA should now continue the process toward a national reimbursement decision for Optune in Germany. According to its published timeline, a directive is expected no later than October 2020.

IQWiG’s evaluation was based on the EF-14 phase III pivotal trial data published in JAMA in December 2017. EF-14 demonstrated that patients with newly diagnosed GBM who added Optune to standard chemotherapy, temozolomide, had a greater opportunity to live longer than those who used chemotherapy alone. Patients treated with Optune plus temozolomide experienced overall survival of 20.9 months versus 16 months for patients treated with temozolomide alone. Two and five-year survival rates were better with Optune with 13 percent of patients treated with Optune plus chemotherapy alive at five years versus 5 percent of patients treated with chemotherapy alone. Patients treated with Optune were also able to maintain their mental, emotional and physical well-being longer than those on chemotherapy alone.