Cost-effectiveness of biological treatment sequences for fistulising Crohn's disease across Europe.

Authors:
Petra Baji, László Gulácsi, Valentin Brodszky, Zsuzsanna Végh, Silvio Danese, Peter M Irving, Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet, Stefan Schreiber, Fanni Rencz, Péter L Lakatos, Márta Péntek
Year of publication:
2018
Volume:
6
Issue:
2
Issn:
2050-6406
Journal title abbreviated:
United European Gastroenterol J
Journal title long:
United European gastroenterology journal
Abstract:
In clinical practice, treatment sequences of biologicals are applied for active fistulising Crohn's disease, however underlying health economic analyses are lacking.The purpose of this study was to analyse the cost-effectiveness of different biological sequences including infliximab, biosimilar-infliximab, adalimumab and vedolizumab in nine European countries.A Markov model was developed to compare treatment sequences of one, two and three biologicals from the payer's perspective on a five-year time horizon. Data on effectiveness and health state utilities were obtained from the literature. Country-specific costs were considered. Calculations were performed with both official list prices and estimated real prices of biologicals.Biosimilar-infliximab is the most cost-effective treatment against standard care across the countries (with list prices: €34684-€72551/quality adjusted life year; with estimated real prices: €24364-€56086/quality adjusted life year). The most cost-effective two-agent sequence, except for Germany, is the biosimilar-infliximab-adalimumab therapy compared with single biosimilar-infliximab (with list prices: €58533-€133831/quality adjusted life year; with estimated prices: €45513-€105875/quality adjusted life year). The cost-effectiveness of the biosimilar-infliximab-adalimumab-vedolizumab three-agent sequence compared wit biosimilar-infliximab -adalimumab is €87214-€152901/quality adjusted life year.The suggested first-choice biological treatment is biosimilar-infliximab. In case of treatment failure, switching to adalimumab then to vedolizumab provides meaningful additional health gains but at increased costs. Inter-country differences in cost-effectiveness are remarkable due to significant differences in costs.