The National Health Care Institute has advised the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) to reimburse teclistamab (Tecvayli®) from the basic healthcare package after price negotiations. This medicinal product can be used in certain patients with multiple myeloma. The reason for this advice was the placing of the medicinal product in the so-called ‘lock procedure for expensive medicinal products'. This is a reassessment of an earlier advice from 2024.
Teclistamab is intended for the treatment of certain patients with multiple myeloma
Teclistamab is the active substance. The brand name is Tecvayli®. The medicinal product is an injection.
The product can be used in people with multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma, also known as Kahler's disease, is a plasma cell cancer. Plasma cells are a type of immune cells of the human body. Myeloma cells is another name for malignant plasma cells. In multiple myeloma, uncontrolled cell division of malignant plasma cells occurs at multiple sites in the bone marrow.
Specifically, these are adult patients with:
- recurring and refractory multiple myeloma;
- who have received at least 3 prior treatments, including an immunomodulating agent, a proteasome inhibitor and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody; and
- who showed disease progression during the last treatment.
Advice from the National Health Care Institute on the reimbursement of teclistamab
The National Health Care Institute advises the Minister of VWS to reimburse teclistamab (Tecvayli®) from the basic healthcare package after price negotiations. We recommend a price decrease of more than 40%.
Previous assessment 2024: The National Health Care Institute could not assess whether this medicine was worth the high price
In July 2024, the National Health Care Institute advised the Minister of VWS not to reimburse teclistamab (Tecvayli®) from the basic healthcare package. At the time, we concluded that the medicine meets the ‘established medical science and medical practice’ but were unable to assess whether Tecvayli® was worth the high price. That is why we advised the Minister not to reimburse the medicine and to invite the marketing authorisation holder to revise and better substantiate the economic analysis.
More information or questions?
If you have any questions about this advice, please send your question to the National Health Care Institute via warcg@zinl.nl. If you have questions about the reimbursement of a medicinal product, the personal expenses or whether you should pay a contribution, please ask your health insurance provider.
How did the advice come about?
The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) asks the National Health Care Institute to carry out an assessment. The final decision as to whether or not reimbursement from the basic healthcare package will take place lies with the Minister.
Lock procedure for expensive medicinal products
The Minister has placed teclistamab for this indication in the lock procedure for expensive medicinal products. A medicinal product in this lock procedure will not be eligible for reimbursement from the basic health care package until:
- there is a positive package advice from the National Health Care Institute;
- there are arrangements and safeguards for appropriateness in place;
- price reductions have been successfully negotiated with the manufacturer.
For more information, see the page ‘Lock procedure for expensive medicinal products’.