CER Daily Newsfeed

Value Viewpoint: May 29, 2026

(5/29, Kimberly Westrich, LinkedIn) comments “A new article published in Value in Health from the CER-to-Policy Expert Collaborative examines how contemporary comparative effectiveness research (CER) should inform federal and state drug-pricing decisions...Here’s a brief excerpt...‘Both federal Medicare drug price negotiations and state Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (PDABs) review clinical evidence before making pricing decisions. The problem: much of that evidence comes from the original approval-stage trials, sometimes over a decade old…Our new paper in Value in Health lays out recommendations for how both CMS and state PDABs can better use contemporary CER. We argue that decision-makers should define their evidence needs upfront, be transparent about how studies are weighted, and that manufacturers should invest in keeping their evidence current rather than resubmitting the same pivotal trial data.’” Full

Nirogacestat Tops Standard-of-Care Response Rate in Desmoid Tumors

(6/2, Ella Hohmann, MS, AJMC) reports “...UCI Health reviewed 31 desmoid tumor patients (2019-2025), comparing nirogacestat (n=18) with historical systemic agents including sorafenib, pazopanib, and tamoxifen/sulindac, using RECIST v1.1. Higher ORR was observed with nirogacestat than prior systemic therapies (44.4% vs 23.1%; P=.45), while median time to response remained comparable (6.4 vs 6.7 months).” Full

The 340B Contract Pharmacy Market in 2026: A Maturing Industry Dominated by Big Chains and PBMs

(6/2, Adam J. Fein, Ph.D. and Greis Kapexhiu, Drug Channels) comments “...Ultimately, Congress must address the structural flaws that have accumulated over the program's 34-year history. The health-care system has changed a lot in the 34 years since the 340B program was introduced. Without meaningful reform, the program's economic incentives will continue to favor scale, consolidation, and profit maximization over the original mission of supporting true safety-net providers and expanding access for low-income and uninsured patients. After all, nothing says ‘safety net’ quite like five publicly traded mega-corporations capturing 77% of all 340B contract pharmacy relationships.” Full

Biosimilar Drugs: Canada Drops Need For Comparative Clinical Efficacy Studies

(6/2, Neena Brizmohun, Pink Sheet) reports “...Health Canada's elimination of comparative clinical efficacy studies for biosimilar products aligns with steps being taken by the US and EU drug regulators.” Subscription Required