An economic evaluation published in BMC Health Services Research found that ivonescimab plus chemotherapy was not cost-effective in China at current market prices for advanced squamous NSCLC. The analysis places financial barriers around uptake even as clinical evidence grows, making affordability a gating factor for payer and system adoption. The report highlights a familiar issue for late-stage oncology: clinical efficacy may not translate into rapid reimbursement progress if price-to-value ratios do not meet local thresholds. The study’s framing—discussed from a health-system perspective—signals that pricing negotiations could determine the trajectory of market access. For stakeholders, the immediate impact is added uncertainty for commercial planning in China, particularly for combinations where multiple branded agents can compound total costs. It also increases the likelihood that subsequent trials and submissions will be paired with stronger health-economic packages.