This study sought to conduct an evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of toripalimab plus bevacizumab versus sorafenib in the treatment of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the context of the Chinese healthcare system. Based on the clinical trial (Trial No.: NCT04723004), we developed a partitioned survival model to simulate patients' lifetime health outcomes and economic costs. The analysis assessed economic value by analyzing incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). We assessed the model’s reliability using both one-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. The base case analysis indicated that toripalimab plus bevacizumab had an incremental cost of 52, 351. 47 and an incremental QALY of 0. 24, resulting in an ICER of 220, 179. 20 per QALY gained. This exceeds China's willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of 38, 224 per QALY. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the model results. The cost-effectiveness analysis results indicated that the combination of toripalimab and bevacizumab is not cost-effective for patients with advanced HCC in China. • A partitioned survival model was developed to simulate patients' lifetime health outcomes and economic costs. • One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses confirmed model robustness. • At China’s WTP (38, 224/QALY), the combination’s cost-effectiveness probability was 0. • Toripalimab + bevacizumab is not cost-effective as first-line therapy for advanced HCC in China currently.
Jia et al. (Sun,) studied this question.