What Is the CADTH Reimbursement Recommendation for Rezurock?: CADTH recommends that Rezurock be reimbursed by public drug plans for the treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) if certain conditions are met.

Which Patients Are Eligible for Coverage?: Rezurock should only be covered to treat patients aged 12 years and older who have clinically diagnosed moderate to severe cGVHD and whose disease has not shown an adequate response to at least 2 prior lines of systemic therapy (1 of which is corticosteroids with or without calcineurin inhibitors).

What Are the Conditions for Reimbursement?: Rezurock should only be reimbursed if prescribed by clinicians who have experience in the diagnosis and management of patients with cGVHD, and the cost of Rezurock is reduced.

Why Did CADTH Make This Recommendation?:

1. Evidence from a clinical trial demonstrated that Rezurock improved response outcomes related to the resolution of cGVHD signs and symptoms.

2. Rezurock met patient needs of reducing disease symptoms and corticosteroid dosages, as well as providing an oral drug option with manageable side effects. No definitive conclusions could be made about the effects of Rezurock on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

3. Based on CADTH’s assessment of the health economic evidence, Rezurock does not represent good value to the health care system at the public list price. A price reduction is therefore required.

4. Based on public list prices, Rezurock is estimated to cost the public drug plans approximately $13 million over the next 3 years.

What Is cGVHD?: Approximately 35% to 50% of patients who receive a stem cell transplant from a donor will experience cGVHD. cGVHD occurs when the donor’s cells attack the transplant recipient’s cells and body parts. cGVHD can last for months to a lifetime and is the leading cause of illness and death after stem cell transplant.

Unmet Needs in cGVHD: Patients with cGVHD need effective therapies with tolerable side effects that can improve HRQoL, reduce disease symptoms, reduce corticosteroid dosages, and extend survival.

How Much Does Rezurock Cost?: Treatment with Rezurock is expected to cost approximately $137,313 per year (and $274,626 per year if the patient is receiving concomitant proton pump inhibitors and requires Rezurock twice daily).