Price and Prejudice? The Value of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 28;19(19):12366. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912366.

Abstract

Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has shown a high response rate in lymphoma patients, its cost-effectiveness is controversial due to the high price and uncertainty of the clinical evidence. In addition to the high acquisition cost of CAR T-cell therapy, procedure and facility cost increase the financial burden considering the frequency of adverse events such as cytokine release syndrome. In clinical research, relatively short follow-up periods were used compared to traditional cancer agents. In addition, head-to-head comparative effectiveness data are unavailable, which is an important factor when evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a new treatment. Additional evidence that will compensate for the uncertainty of existing clinical data is needed for full evaluation of long-term efficacy, safety, and comparative effectiveness.

Keywords: CAR T-cell; chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy; economic evaluation; value.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive* / adverse effects
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive* / methods
  • Prejudice
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / therapeutic use
  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen* / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation NRF-2021R1F1A1050281.