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FDA grants subcutaneous amivantamab accelerated approval in head and neck cancer; final 2027 Medicare fee schedule cuts conversion factor 2.31%
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval on Nov. 5 to subcutaneous amivantamab for previously treated recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the 2027 physician fee schedule final rule, cutting the main conversion factor 2.31%.
Read this week's roundup and its sources: https://physicianintheloop.org/specialties/oncology/2026-11-01/
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The voices on this episode are generated by AI, and so is the script, from the week's specialty roundup at Physician in the Loop. Every fact in the roundup links to its source.
The week's innovation news in oncology for oncologists, every Sunday in a few minutes: new technology, AI tools, devices, FDA decisions and new ways of delivering care. From the Specialties pages of Physician in the Loop, where every story links to its sources: physicianintheloop.org/specialties/oncology/. Read by AI voices.
Voice 1: This is Physician in the Loop, the weekly oncology briefing, for November 1st to November 7th, 2026.
Voice 1: The FDA granted accelerated approval to subcutaneous amivantamab and hyaluronidase-lpuj, known as Rybrevant Faspro, for adults with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that progressed on or after platinum based chemotherapy and immunotherapy, based on a 42% overall response rate.
Voice 2: How many patients were studied, and how durable were those responses?
Voice 1: The approval rests on 102 patients in the OrigAMI-4 trial, with a 95% confidence interval of 32% to 52% for that response rate. Fifty-six percent of responders had a response lasting at least six months.
Voice 2: Does that indication cover HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer, and is the FDA requiring more data?
Voice 1: No, it is not indicated for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. The FDA called it the first drug approval in 10 years for previously treated recurrent or metastatic disease, and the agency has required confirmatory studies as part of that approval.
Voice 2: CMS also released its final 2027 Medicare physician fee schedule this week, cutting the conversion factor.
Voice 1: By how much, and does that differ for clinicians in alternative payment models?
Voice 2: The conversion factor is set at $32.63 for clinicians outside qualifying alternative payment models, a decrease of about 2%, according to CMS. For qualifying participants, it's $32.95, a slightly smaller decrease.
Voice 1: What did the American College of Radiology say about the effect on radiation oncology?
Voice 2: The ACR said policy changes in the rule bring a 2% increase for radiation oncology, though actual impacts may be less because of the conversion factor decrease, according to AuntMinnie.
Voice 1: Is that fee schedule already in effect for next year?
Voice 2: Yes, it's the calendar year 2027 Medicare physician fee schedule final rule.
Voice 1: Sources and corrections are at physicianintheloop.org, where you can sign up for the free email briefing. This briefing was read by AI voices.