A cost–utility analysis of degarelix in the treatment of advanced hormone-dependent prostate cancer in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the cost-effectiveness of the treatment of advanced hormone-dependent prostate cancer with degarelix compared to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists in the UK using the latest available evidence and the model submitted to AWMSG.

Methods:

A cost-effectiveness model was developed from the perspective of the UK National Health Service evaluating monthly injection of degarelix against 3-monthly leuprorelin therapy plus anti-androgen flare cover for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced (locally advanced or metastatic) hormone-dependent prostate cancer. A Markov process model was constructed using the patient population characteristics and efficacy information from the CS21 Phase III clinical trial and associated extension study (CS21A). The intention-to-treat (ITT) population and a high-risk sub-group with a PSA level >20 ng/mL were modeled.

Results:

In the base-case analysis using the patient access scheme (PAS) price, degarelix was dominant compared to leuprorelin with cost savings of £3633 in the ITT population and £4310 in the PSA > 20 ng/mL sub-group. The chance of being cost-effective was 95% in the ITT population and 96% in the PSA > 20 ng/mL sub-group at a threshold of £20,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). In addition, degarelix remained dominant when PSA progression was assumed equal and only the benefits of preventing testosterone flare were taken into account. Treatment with degarelix also remained dominant in both populations when the list price was used. The additional investment required to treat patients with degarelix could be offset in 19 months for the ITT population and 13 months for the PSA > 20 ng/mL population. The model was most sensitive to the hazard ratio assumed for PSA progression between degarelix and leuprorelin and the quality-of-life (utility) of patients receiving palliative care.

Conclusion:

Degarelix is likely to be cost-effective compared to leuprorelin plus anti-androgen flare cover in the first-line treatment of advanced hormone-dependent prostate cancer.

Keywords::

• Prostate cancer
• Degarelix
• Cost
• utility
• Health economics
• Hormonal treatment

Transparency

Declaration of funding

This paper was sponsored by Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

Dawn Lee, Joshua Porter, Daniel Gladwell and Nic Brereton have disclosed that they are employees of BresMed, a company that was reimbursed by Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ltd as a consultancy for their time on the developing of the model and preparation of the manuscript. Sandy Nielsen is a full time employee of Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ltd. JME Peer Reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Statistician Anders Malmberg of Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and Editor Susan Molone of BresMed, for their assistance.