Pharmaceutical expense support for the cancer immunotherapy drug ‘Bavencio’ in non-reimbursed areas has begun.

According to industry sources, Merck and Pfizer have started a patient support program to refund part of the expenses patients spend on Bavencio (avelumab) as first-line monotherapy for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma and as first-line maintenance treatment for the recently approved locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

Both companies plan to support part of the pharmaceutical expenses borne by patients who were prescribed Bavencio without reimbursement and must bear the full price.

In particular, the Early Access Program (EAP) gained attention a