In early January 2023, patients with Uveal Melanoma received some long-awaited positive news. The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) recommended that tebentafusp (Kimmtrak) be reimbursed by public drug plans for the treatment of unresectable (cannot be fully removed through surgery) or metastatic (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body) uveal melanoma (mUM) under certain conditions. Kimmtrak will now be covered to treat adults with uveal melanoma whose cancer is unresectable or metastatic and who have tested positive for the HLA-A*02:01 gene.
Unfortunately, the Institut national d’excellence en santé et services sociaux (INESSS), the government drug approval agency in Quebec, has refused to cover Kimmtrak. The rationale is as follows: “Since the cost of Kimmtrak is very high compared to the demonstrated benefits and it is unlikely that economic burden mitigation on the part of the manufacturer can guarantee the fair and reasonable use of resources while ensuring the sustainability of the healthcare system, INESSS recommends that the Minister not reimburse tebentafusp”.
Melanoma Canada is very disappointed with INESSS’s lack of support for uveal melanoma patients. This is especially disheartening considering the absence of effective alternative treatments for this small number of patients. These patients face a dire diagnosis and urgently need options like Kimmtrak for a chance at survival. Melanoma Canada has strongly urged INESSS to reconsider its decision and hopes that they will align with the rest of Canada in providing coverage for this much-needed treatment.
