Indirect comparisons of second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors in CML: case study using baseline population characteristics

Kimbach Tran Carpiuc¹, Gianantonio Rosti², Fausto Castagnetti², Maarten Treur³, Jennifer Stephens^1
1Pharmerit North America LLC, Bethesda, MD, USA; ²Department of Hematology and Oncology, S Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Bologna, Italy; ³Pharmerit Europe, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract: The use of indirect comparisons to evaluate the relative effectiveness between two or more treatments is widespread in the literature and continues to grow each year. Appropriate methodologies will be essential for integrating data from various published clinical trials into a systematic framework as part of the increasing emphasis on comparative effectiveness research. This article provides a case study example for clinicians using the baseline study population characteristics and response rates of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors in imatinib-resistant or imatinib-intolerant chronic myelogenous leukemia followed by a discussion of indirect comparison methods that are being increasingly implemented to address challenges with these types of comparisons.

Keywords: comparative effectiveness research, meta-analysis, BCR–ABL-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia, imatinib mesylate, nilotinib, dasatinib