Cost–effectiveness of lanreotide Autogel^® in treatment algorithms of acromegaly

Abstract

The introduction of effective pharmacological treatments has changed the management of acromegaly. However, chronic, life-long treatment with somatostatin analogues and/or growth hormone receptor antagonists is very expensive. We estimated the costs of treatment algorithms to control acromegaly from a Dutch perspective. We used the following assumptions: after the diagnosis of acromegaly there is a mean remaining lifespan of approximately 33 years; the success rates of surgery and somatostatin analogues in controlling the disease are approximately 60%; and the lifelong costs of different algorithms to control acromegaly in 100 patients ranged from €43 million (primary surgery and secondary somatostatin analogues) to €57 million (primary somatostatin analogues and secondary surgery) and even reached €95 million (medical treatment only). In algorithms that include trans-sphenoidal surgery, the lifetime treatment costs are almost 46–59% cheaper per 100 patients than in algorithms with medical treatment but without trans-sphenoidal surgery. Algorithms with primary surgery and secondary somatostatin analogs are 30% cheaper per 100 patients than algorithms with primary somatostatin analogues and secondary surgery. Per 100 patients, algorithms including lanreotide Autogel^® are 14–34% more expensive than algorithms including octreotide long-acting release. These life-long costs should be taken into consideration when making choices between treatment algorithms.

Keywords::

• acromegaly
• costs
• lanreotide Autogel^®
• treatment

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.