Atezolizumab (Tecentriq IV and Tecentriq SC)

Key Messages

• Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) recommends that Tecentriq IV and Tecentriq SC be reimbursed by public drug plans for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumours have high PD-L1 expression, as determined by a validated test, and who do not have EGFR or ALK genomic tumour aberrations if certain conditions are met.

• A subcommittee of the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review Expert Review Committee (pERC) determined that Tecentriq IV and SC demonstrate acceptable clinical value versus immunotherapies (i.e., pembrolizumab and cemiplimab) in patients with metastatic NSCLC. This determination was enough for pERC to recommend that Tecentriq IV and SC be reimbursed. Given that Tecentriq is expected to be an alternative to pembrolizumab and cemiplimab, acceptable clinical value refers to at least comparable value versus the PD-1 inhibitors.

  Evidence from a clinical trial (IMpower110) showed that treatment with Tecentriq delays cancer progression and extends life compared with chemotherapy alone in patients with NSCLC that has spread to other parts of the body.

  Patients identified a need for additional treatment options that are life extending and improve their quality of life. Tecentriq was considered an alternative immunotherapy option, with both IV and subcutaneous (SC) routes of administration that may offer an unmet clinical benefit for some patients.

• Tecentriq should only be covered according to the criteria used by the public drug plans for other PD-1 inhibitors for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic NSCLC whose tumours have high PD-L1 expression.