FDA Approves Nivolumab + Ipilimumab Immunotherapy Treatment for Mesothelioma

On October 2, 2020 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the combination of Opdivo® (nivolumab) and Yervoy® (ipilimumab) as a first-line treatment for adult patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Read the FDA Announcement.

Read the Bristol Myers Squibb Announcement.

Posted 10/5/2020 

FDA Approves Two Liquid Biopsy Companion Diagnostics for Osimertinib

On August 7, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved FoundationOne^® Liquid CDx and Guardant360^® CDx as next generation sequencing based liquid biopsy companion diagnostics for osimertinib (Tagrisso^®) for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test; and for patients with metastatic EGFR T790M mutation-positive NSCLC, as detected by an FDA-approved test, whose disease has progressed on or after EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy.

See full prescribing information.

About FoundationOne^® Liquid CDx.

About Guardant360^® CDx.

Posted 9/24/2020

CMS Releases RO Model Final Rule

On Friday, September 18, 2020 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule for the Radiation Oncology (RO) Model. The RO Model seeks to improve the quality of care for cancer patients receiving radiotherapy (RT) and move toward a simplified and predictable payment system. The RO Model tests whether bundled, prospective, site neutral, modality agnostic, episode-based payments to physician group practices, hospital outpatient departments, and freestanding radiation therapy centers for RT episodes of care reduces Medicare expenditures while preserving or enhancing the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries. The RO Model has a five-year Model performance period that begins on January 1, 2021 and runs through December 31, 2025.

For additional information on the final rule and the model, please visit the radiation oncology website. The following resource documents about RO may also be helpful: Press Release, Fact Sheet, and Final Rule. For questions regarding the RO Model, please reach out to the RO Model Helpdesk by phone: 1.844.711.2664, option 5; or email: RadiationTherapy@cms.hhs.gov.

Posted 9/18/2020

Lilly Announces Thyroid Cancer Testing Program

Lilly announces their Thyroid Cancer Testing Program designed to provide access to molecular testing for appropriate advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (“MTC”) patients 12 years of age and older who require systemic therapy; and advanced or metastatic non-medullary thyroid cancer (“non-MTC”) patients 12 years of age and older who are radioactive iodine-refractory (if radioactive iodine is appropriate).

Appropriate patients are eligible for one molecular test at no cost for the purpose of determining whether the patient has any actionable genetic alterations that may inform therapeutic decisions, without regard to purchase of any prescribed drug or any other product.*

No patient, healthcare program, payer, or beneficiary shall be billed for any test ordered pursuant to the Thyroid Cancer Testing Program.

Posted 9/16/2020

To request a test for your patient <and understand further requirements>, you may download the Thyroid Cancer Testing Program Test Request Form.

The Thyroid Cancer Testing Program is NOT available to New York State patients and facilities as the aforementioned NGS tests have not been approved by the New York State Department of Health.

Posted 9/16/2020

CMS Issues FY2021 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule

On September 2, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTCH) final rule, which includes important provisions designed to ensure access to potentially life-saving diagnostics and therapies for hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries. The changes will affect approximately 3,200 acute care hospitals and approximately 360 Long-Term Care Hospitals. CMS estimates that total Medicare spending on acute care inpatient hospital services will increase by about $3.5 billion in FY 2021, or 2.7 percent. 

CMS’ rule creates a new Medicare Severity Diagnostic Related Group (MS-DRG) that provides a predictable payment to help adequately compensate hospitals for administering Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies.

Also in the final rule, CMS approved a record number of 24 new technology add-on payments, which is an additional payment to hospitals for cases involving eligible new and relatively high cost technologies. This will provide additional Medicare payment for these technologies while real-world evidence is emerging, giving Medicare beneficiaries timely access to the latest innovations.

Read the fact sheet and final rule from the Federal Register.

Posted 9/2/2020

FDA Approves Azacitidine for AML Continued Treatment

CMS Releases CY 2021 OPPS and PFS Proposed Rules

On August 4, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Reimbursement (CMS) issued the calendar year (CY) 2021 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Proposed Rule (CMS-1736-P). ACCC and council are reviewing these proposed rules and will be providing comments.

Until this analysis is complete, read the proposed OPPS rule and the proposed PFS rule. Then register for ACCC’s August 14 webcast on The 2021 Proposed PFS and OPPS Rules: Practical Implications and Considerations to gain insight into how these proposed rules will affect your cancer program.

Posted 8/6/2020

FDA Approves Tafasitamab-cxix + Lenalidomide for R/R DLBCL

On July 31, 2020 MorphoSys and Incyte announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Monjuvi® (tafasitamab-cxix) in combination with lenalidomide for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant.

Read corporate press release.

Read FDA announcement.

Posted 8/3/20

FDA Approves Inqovi Tablets for Adults with Intermediate and High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes

On July 7, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada have approved decitabine and cedazuridine (Inqovi, Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Taiho Oncology, Inc.; and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) tablets for the treatment of adults with intermediate and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) including chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML).

Approval was based on data from the ASCERTAIN phase 3 study and supporting phase 1 and 2 clinical studies. The ASCERTAIN phase 3 study evaluated the five-day, decitabine exposure equivalence between oral Inqovi^® and intravenous decitabine. The safety and efficacy of Inqovi^® was also assessed in the clinical studies.

Read corporate announcement. 

Posted 7/17/2020

FDA Approves Keytruda for Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic MSI-H or dMMR CRC

On June 29, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck & Co.) for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic MSI-H or dMMR colorectal cancer (CRC).

MSI-H/dMMR testing is required prior to initiating treatment with Keytruda in these patients. For the MSI-H/dMMR indication, select patients for treatment with Keytruda as a single agent based on MSI-H/dMMR status in tumor specimens. An FDA-approved test for the detection of MSI-H or dMMR is not currently available.

Read prescribing information and medication guide. 

Posted 7/17/2020