Ixekizumab treatment patterns and healthcare utilization and costs for patients with psoriasis

Abstract

Objectives: To describe ixekizumab treatment patterns, all-cause healthcare utilization, and costs among psoriasis patients.

Methods: Adults diagnosed with psoriasis having ≥1 ixekizumab claim were selected from MarketScan^® databases between March 01, 2016 and July 31, 2017. Patients were continuously enrolled for ≥6 months prior and ≥3 months after the index date (first ixekizumab claim) and followed until inpatient death, end of enrollment, or end of data. Treatment patterns included persistence, switching, and re-initiation. All-cause utilization and costs were reported per-patient-per-month (PPPM).

Results: 801 patients (mean age 49 years; 55.8% male; median follow-up 201 days) were included. Among all patients, 87.4% were persistent (mean (median) duration 86 (75) days) Of the 12.6% of patients who discontinued ixekizumab, 11.9% re-initiated and 6.9% switched treatments. Mean (median) time to switching was 208 (206) days. Mean number of all-cause inpatient admissions and physician office visits PPPM were 0.01 and 0.72, respectively. Mean total cost PPPM was $8,371, of which pharmacy comprised $7,792. Ixekizumab costs, $7,079, occurred primarily during induction and were paid predominantly by health plans ($6,810 [96.2%]).

Conclusion: Most (87.4%) ixekizumab users remained persistent during follow-up. Pharmacy was the primary driver of total healthcare costs, with the majority covered by health plans and <4% as patient out-of-pocket expense.

Keywords:

• Ixekizumab
• psoriasis
• persistence
• healthcare costs

Acknowledgements

Editorial/medical writing support for this manuscript was provided by Jay Margolis, PharmD (IBM Watson Health).

Disclosure statement

Mwangi J. Murage, Orin Goldblum, Russel Burge, and Chen-Yen Lin are employees and own stock of Eli Lilly and Company, the manufacturer of ixekizumab. Oth Tran is an employee and Adrienne M. Gilligan was an employee of IBM Watson Health, which received funding from Eli Lilly and Company for the overall conduct of the study and preparation of the manuscript. Abrar Qureshi is a consultant to Eli Lilly and Company, AbbVie, Amgen, Centers for Disease Control, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, and Pfizer and an investigator for Regeneron and Sanofi.

Additional information

Funding

This work was sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company.