Ribociclib Cost-Effectiveness: Early Breast Cancer
- Chicago—Ribociclib, combined with endocrine therapy, considerably boosts invasive disease-free survival in patients with HR+, HER2- early breast cancer.
- However, a new analysis presented at the 2025 ASCO meeting in Chicago questions the cost-effectiveness of adding ribociclib to endocrine therapy for this patient group in the United...
- HR+,HER2- breast cancer,the most prevalent type,boasts a high five-year survival rate of 99% when detected early.Though, survival drops to a median of five years once the cancer spreads.
New research presented at the 2025 ASCO meeting challenges the cost-effectiveness of ribociclib for HR+,HER2- early breast cancer treatment in the United States. The analysis reveals that, despite improved survival, the addition of the primary_keyword ribociclib to endocrine therapy isn’t cost-effective at its current pricing. The study, based on the NATALEE trial data, finds an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio far exceeding accepted thresholds when measuring equal value life years, with a secondary_keyword price reduction needed to justify its use. News Directory 3 has the latest on these findings. Discover what’s next …
cost of Ribociclib Questioned for HR+, HER2- Early Breast Cancer Treatment
Updated June 15, 2025
Chicago—Ribociclib, combined with endocrine therapy, considerably boosts invasive disease-free survival in patients with HR+, HER2- early breast cancer. The findings from the phase 3 NATALEE clinical trial were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting.
However, a new analysis presented at the 2025 ASCO meeting in Chicago questions the cost-effectiveness of adding ribociclib to endocrine therapy for this patient group in the United States. Researchers aimed to evaluate whether the clinical benefits justify the expense.
HR+,HER2- breast cancer,the most prevalent type,boasts a high five-year survival rate of 99% when detected early.Though, survival drops to a median of five years once the cancer spreads. This subtype features cancer cells with estrogen and progesterone receptors but lacks excessive HER2 protein, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Ribociclib, a targeted drug, impedes cancer cell division, slowing or halting the disease’s progression. Prior studies confirm its ability to improve overall survival in HR+, HER2- breast cancer patients. When paired with a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI), ribociclib enhances invasive disease-free survival in stage 2 or 3 HR+, HER2- early breast cancer.
The NATALEE trial data fueled a partitioned survival model comparing the cost-effectiveness of ribociclib plus endocrine therapy against endocrine therapy alone. The model factored in a median patient age of 51 and projected survival over 10 years. Cost data came from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Effectiveness was gauged using quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and equal value life years (evLYs), adjusted for age, sex, and breast cancer specifics. The primary endpoint was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in dollars per evLY.
Base-case analysis revealed that ribociclib plus endocrine therapy incurred roughly $442,000 in discounted costs, yielding 7.79 discounted evLYs. Endocrine therapy alone cost about $186,000, resulting in 7.57 discounted evLYs. The ICER for adding ribociclib was $1.2 million per evLY. Sensitivity analysis pinpointed ribociclib’s price as the sole factor influencing the model’s conclusions. A 90% price reduction would be necessary for the combination therapy to be deemed cost-effective, even at the highest willingness-to-pay threshold.
The study suggests that, at its current price, ribociclib with endocrine therapy is not a cost-effective strategy compared to endocrine therapy alone for U.S. patients with HR+, HER2- early breast cancer.