Ixabepilone (Ixempra®)
IMPORTANT REMINDER
We develop Medical Policies to provide guidance to Members and Providers. This Medical Policy relates only to the services or supplies described in it. The existence of a Medical Policy is not an authorization, certification, explanation of benefits or a contract for the service (or supply) that is referenced in the Medical Policy. For a determination of the benefits that a Member is entitled to receive under his or her health plan, the Member's health plan must be reviewed. If there is a conflict between the medical policy and a health plan or government program (e.g., TennCare), the express terms of the health plan or government program will govern.
POLICY
I. INDICATIONS
The indications below including FDA-approved indications and compendial uses are considered a covered benefit provided that all the approval criteria are met and the member has no exclusions to the prescribed therapy.
A. FDA-Approved Indications
1. In combination with capecitabine for the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer resistant to treatment with an anthracycline and a taxane, or whose cancer is taxane resistant and for whom further anthracycline therapy is contraindicated
2. Monotherapy for the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer in patients whose tumors are resistant or refractory to anthracyclines, taxanes, and capecitabine
B. Compendial Use
Breast Cancer
All other indications are considered experimental/investigational and not medically necessary.
II. DOCUMENTATION
Submission of the following information is necessary to initiate the prior authorization review: HER2 status testing results, where applicable
III. CRITERIA FOR INITIAL APPROVAL
Breast Cancer
Authorization of 12 months may be granted for treatment of breast cancer when any of the following criteria are met:
1. Member has human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic disease or disease with no response to preoperative systemic therapy, as a single agent; or
2. Member has human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive recurrent or metastatic disease or disease with no response to preoperative systemic therapy, in combination with trastuzumab; or
3. The requested medication will be used in combination with capecitabine for treatment of metastatic or locally advanced disease when the following criteria are met:
a. Member has failed an anthracycline and a taxane, or whose cancer is taxane resistant and for whom further anthracycline therapy is contraindicated; and
b. Member does not have aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level greater than 2.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) or bilirubin greater than 1 time the ULN.
IV. CONTINUATION OF THERAPY
Authorization of 12 months may be granted for continued treatment in members requesting reauthorization for an indication listed in Section III when there is no evidence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression while on the current regimen.
APPLICABLE TENNESSEE STATE MANDATE REQUIREMENTS
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s Medical Policy complies with Tennessee Code Annotated Section 56-7-2352 regarding coverage of off-label indications of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs when the off-label use is recognized in one of the statutorily recognized standard reference compendia or in the published peer-reviewed medical literature.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For appropriate chemotherapy regimens, dosage information, contraindications, precautions, warnings, and monitoring information, please refer to one of the standard reference compendia (e.g., the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) published by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network®, Drugdex Evaluations of Micromedex Solutions at Truven Health, or The American Hospital Formulary Service Drug Information).
REFERENCES
1. Ixempra [package insert]. Princeton, NJ: R-Pharm US LLC; January 2016.
2. The NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium 2022 National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Inc. https://www.nccn.org. Accessed November 7, 2022.
ORIGINAL EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/1/2016
MOST RECENT REVIEW DATE: 1/1/2024
ID_CHS
Policies included in the Medical Policy Manual are not intended to certify coverage availability. They are medical determinations about a particular technology, service, drug, etc. While a policy or technology may be medically necessary, it could be excluded in a member's benefit plan. Please check with the appropriate claims department to determine if the service in question is a covered service under a particular benefit plan. Use of the Medical Policy Manual is not intended to replace independent medical judgment for treatment of individuals. The content on this Web site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice in any way. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider if you have questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.
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