Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer | Access and Reimbursement | Biomarkers in Oncology | China | 2016

Introduction

Oncology is increasingly moving toward a personalized treatment approach, enlisting predictive biomarkers to guide therapy choice. This trend is already being felt in indications as varied as non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), breast cancer, and colorectal cancer (CRC), and it is affecting uptake of key brands. However, only some of these brands get partial reimbursement in selected provinces in China. Furthermore, how biomarker tests are paid for will in turn impact uptake of biomarker-driven therapies. Multiple emerging therapies in the oncology pipeline, such as Novartis’s Zykadia (ceritinib) and AstraZeneca’s Lynparza (olaparib), hope to benefit from biomarker-driven prescribing. To maximize opportunity in the Chinese market, developers of emerging therapies need to carefully balance preferred pricing with uptake potential, especially when taking into account the anticipated emergence of biosimilars and generics of key targeted therapies.

Questions Answered in This Report

Explore current and evolving prescribing trends: How do prescribing patterns differ between biomarker-driven therapies for NSCLC, breast cancer, and CRC? How does drug reimbursement status influence drug prescribing? What are the current drivers and barriers to biomarker-driven prescribing in oncology, and what are the main cost-related/clinical constraints to the uptake of agents with biomarkers? How do new government policies affect physicians’ prescribing of biomarker-driven therapies? What impact do biomarker tests have on the uptake of biomarker-driven therapies? How will differences in prescribers’ perceptions of major brands versus biosimilars impact prescribing? How will use of currently marketed agents evolve over the next three years?

Assess payer attitudes toward approved biomarker-driven drugs: Which agents are included on the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) or Provincial Reimbursement Drug Lists (PRDLs)? What are the restrictions for the reimbursement of formulary-listed drugs? How might reimbursement of key biomarker-driven therapies change in the near future? What therapies do payers expect to be included in the new NRDL and/or PRDLs? How might the new government policies affect the pricing and reimbursement of biomarker-driven therapies? What is the reimbursement status of the biomarker tests? What are the current limitations to biomarker testing and the downstream impact on uptake of respective agents? How are the upcoming biosimilars and generics perceived by payers? Will the presence of biosimilars drive a price cut on the branded products and have impact on the reimbursement status of biomarker-driven oncology biologics?

Explore the outlook for emerging agents: What are the greatest unmet needs for the treatment of NSCLC, breast cancer, and CRC? How are the emerging drugs perceived? How do physicians expect to prescribe them? What are payers’ expectations for access to emerging therapies? How will payer policy impact their uptake? How will market access barriers evolve, and what challenges are companies likely to face in the future? How do oncologists expect to prescribe biosimilars, generics, and emerging agents?

Scope

This Emerging Markets Access & Reimbursement report on Biomarker-Driven Prescribing in Oncology in China: Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, and Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer, surveys 50 oncologists and interviews 3 payers in China. We explore the national and regional market access factors that will impact the biomarker-driven treatment for NSCLC, breast cancer, and CRC in China in the next two to three years.

Markets covered: China.

Primary research:

• 50 oncologists completed an online quantitative survey designed by therapeutic and country experts.
• 3 payers/payer-advising thought leaders who influence reimbursement of biomarker-driven therapies for NSCLC, breast cancer, and CRC at a national or regional level were interviewed: Member, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) for updating of the PRDL, Shandong; Member, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) for updating of the PRDL, Beijing; Member, China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) for new drug application review, Guangdong.