— Report finds tavapadon is comparable to currently available treatments; therapy is not cost effective when compared to key alternatives —
BOSTON, September 16, 2026 – The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) today posted its revised Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of tavapadon (AbbVie Inc.) for Parkinson’s Disease.
Downloads: Evidence Report | Voting Questions | Public Comments | Response to Public Comments
“Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive neurological condition largely characterized by the loss of motor skills and physical function,” said ICER’s Chief Scientific Officer and Director of Health Technology Assessment Methods and Engagement, Dan Ollendorf, PhD, MPH. “There are currently no disease-modifying treatments, so symptom management is paramount. While tavapadon provides some relief from key symptoms, benefits were similar to those of older, generic drugs, and discontinuation from tavapadon due to adverse events was relatively high. The combination of modest benefit and uncertainties around discontinuation raise important questions about tavapadon’s long-term value.”
Key Clinical Findings
For Early Parkinson’s Disease:
- Tavapadon compared to no pharmacological treatment*: ICER found tavapadon has a moderate certainty of a small to substantial net health benefit in populations where patients were taking no pharmacological treatment, resulting in an ICER evidence rating of C++.
For Parkinson’s Disease with Motor Fluctuations:
- Tavapadon plus levodopa compared to levodopa alone: ICER found tavapadon plus levodopa has a moderate certainty of a small to substantial net health benefit compared to levodopa alone, resulting in an ICER evidence rating of C++.
For Early Parkinson’s disease and for Parkinson’s disease with Motor Fluctuations:
- Tavapadon compared to four different types of medications (levodopa, dopamine agonists, COMT inhibitors, or MAO-B inhibitors): ICER found, for all comparisons, given the mixed results and low certainty of evidence, the net health benefit is promising, but inconclusive (P/I).
Key Cost-Effectiveness Findings
Tavapadon has not yet been approved by the FDA for Parkinson’s disease. The manufacturers have not yet announced a US price for the therapy if approved.
For early Parkinson’s disease, ICER could not calculate a health benefit price benchmark (HBPB†) due to significant uncertainty regarding the mix of benefits and harms.
For Parkinson’s disease with motor fluctuations, use of tavapadon in combination with levodopa, resulted in a HBPB for tavapadon between $4,764 and $6,861 per year.
ICER Virtual Public Meeting
Register here to watch the live webcast of the virtual meeting. This Evidence Report will be reviewed at a virtual public meeting of the CTAF on October 1, 2026. The CTAF is one of ICER’s three independent evidence appraisal committees comprising medical evidence experts, practicing clinicians, methodologists, and leaders in patient engagement and advocacy.
A draft version of this report was previously open for a four-week public comment period. The updated Evidence Report and voting questions reflect changes made based on comments received from patient groups, clinicians, drug manufacturers, and other stakeholders. Detailed responses to public comments can be found here.
*This rating applies to patients not taking any pharmacological treatment and also applies to a smaller subset of the population that were taking MAO-B inhibitors.
†ICER’s HBPB is a price range suggesting the highest US price a manufacturer should charge for a treatment, net of all rebates and discounts, based on the amount of improvement in overall health patients receive from that treatment, when a higher price would cause disproportionately greater losses in health among other patients in the health system due to rising overall costs of health care and health insurance. In short, it is the top price range at which a health system can reward innovation and better health for patients without doing more harm than good.
About ICER
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is an independent, non-profit research institute that conducts evidence-based reviews of health care interventions, including prescription drugs, other treatments, and diagnostic tests. In collaboration with patients, clinical experts, and other key stakeholders, ICER analyzes the available evidence on the benefits and risks of these interventions to measure their value and suggest fair prices. ICER also regularly reports on the barriers to care for patients and recommends solutions to ensure fair access to prescription drugs. For more information about ICER, please visit www.icer.org.