Pertuzumab with trastuzumab and docetaxel for treating HER2-positive breast cancer

1.1 Pertuzumab, in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel, is recommended, within its marketing authorisation, for treating HER2‑positive metastatic or locally recurrent unresectable breast cancer, in adults who have not had previous anti‑HER2 therapy or chemotherapy for their metastatic disease, only if the company provides pertuzumab within the agreed commercial access arrangement.

Why the committee made these recommendations

This recommendation is for a drug that has been available on the Cancer Drugs Fund for several years and the committee recognised this as an exceptional circumstance. In this context, the committee considered it reasonable to apply flexibility in its interpretation of the criteria for special consideration as a life-extending treatment for people with a short life expectancy, but noted that the weight applied to the quality-adjusted life years gained would not be at the maximum allocated in other, more regular, circumstances where the end of life criteria have been applied. With this in mind, the committee accepted that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, taking into account the commercial access arrangement, provides for an acceptable use of NHS resources.