# Cost-effectiveness of iruplinalkib versus crizotinib in first-line anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients in China

**Authors:** Wanjie Zhang, Yuqiong Lu, Zhanjing Dai, Linning Wang, Yang Zhou, Yun Lu, Feng Chang

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1651463 · Frontiers in Pharmacology · 2025-10-20

## TL;DR

This study compares the cost-effectiveness of two drugs for treating a specific type of lung cancer in China, finding that one is more cost-effective.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of iruplinalkib over crizotinib in China for ALK-positive NSCLC patients.

## Key findings

- Iruplinalkib provided 2.11 quality-adjusted life-years compared to crizotinib.
- The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $2,048.03 per quality-adjusted life-year.
- Iruplinalkib had a 100% probability of being cost-effective at a specific threshold.

## Abstract

The recently completed INSPIRE trial demonstrated that iruplinalkib improved progression-free survival and intracranial antitumor activity compared with crizotinib in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) -positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this study was to determine the potential cost-effectiveness of iruplinalkib vs. crizotinib in the Chinese healthcare setting.

A cost-effectiveness model was developed using the partition survival method, with three health states: progression-free survival, progressive disease, and death. Data from the INSPIRE trial were used to estimate progression-free and overall survival. Costs included drug treatment, disease management, and adverse events management. Drug costs and utilities were the main drivers of the model in the deterministic sensitivity analysis.

Treatment with iruplinalkib versus crizotinib resulted in a gain of 0.55 life-years, 2.11 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and an incremental cost of $4,325.55, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $2,048.03/QALY. Drug costs and utilities were the main drivers of the model in the deterministic sensitivity analysis. From the probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA), iruplinalkib had a 100% probability of being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $13,447.89/QALY.

Compared to crizotinib, iruplinalkib is a cost-effective therapy for treatment-naïve patients with ALK-positive NSCLC.

## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** iruplinalkib (PubChem CID 118639856), crizotinib (PubChem CID 11597571)
- **Diseases:** non-small-cell lung cancer (MONDO:0005233)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** ALK (ALK receptor tyrosine kinase) [NCBI Gene 238] {aka ALK1, CD246, NBLST3}
- **Diseases:** NSCLC (MESH:D002289)
- **Chemicals:** iruplinalkib (-), crizotinib (MESH:D000077547)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

5 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12580099/full.md

## References

43 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12580099/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12580099