Annual biologic treatment cost for new and existing patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Greece

Abstract

Aim

The aim of the present study was to estimate the annual per-patient cost of treatment with adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, and ustekinumab by response status for new and existing patients with moderate to severe psoriasis in Greece.

Methods

An economic analysis was developed from a national health care perspective to estimate the direct cost of treatment alternatives for new and existing patients within a 1-year time horizon. The model included drug acquisition and administration costs for responders and nonresponders. Real-world treatment pattern and resource use data were extracted through nationwide field research using telephone-based interviews with a representative sample of dermatologists. Unit costs were collected from official sources in the public domain.

Results

The mean annual cost of treatment for new patients who responded (or did not respond) to treatment was as follows: adalimumab €10,686 (€3,821), etanercept €10,415 (€3,224), infliximab €14,738 (€7,582), and ustekinumab €17,155 (€9,806). For existing patients the mean annual cost was €9,916, €9,462, €12,949, and €17,149, respectively. Results did not change significantly under several one-way sensitivity and scenario analyses.

Conclusion

Under the base-case scenario, the cost of treatment with etanercept is lower than that of the other biological agents licensed for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Greece, for both new and existing patients, irrespective of response status.

Keywords:

• adalimumab
• etanercept
• infliximab
• ustekinumab
• economic evaluation
• biologics

View correction statement:

Annual biologic treatment cost for new and existing patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Greece [Corrigendum]

Supplementary materials

Table S1 The treatment schedule of etanercept for responders

Table S2 The treatment schedule of adalimumab for responders

Table S3 The treatment schedule of infliximab for responders

Table S4 The treatment schedule of ustekinumab for responders

Table S5 Cost calculations used in the analysis of the annual per patient cost of treatment

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Tsekouras Vasilis from Pfizer Hellas for his in-depth review of the manuscript, Bilitou Katerina from Pfizer Hellas for reviewing and validating the economic model, and Kalpaxoglou Michalis from Ipsos for carrying out the market research and analyzing the sample.

VF conducted the analyses, interpreted the results, and wrote the manuscript. ER and EV supervised the study and interpreted the results. NM supervised the study and is the guarantor for the overall content.

Nothing contained in this paper is intended to guarantee the appropriateness of any medical treatment or to be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for a health professional’s advice.

The authors or Pfizer Hellas have no access to any personal information of the participating physicians. Each one of the recruiters of IPSOS Company declared that the interviews were conducted in compliance with the law 2472/97.

Disclosure

For the present study, VF has received an unrestricted grant from Pfizer. ER and EV are full-time employees at Pfizer Hellas. ΝΜ and VF have received honoraria for lectures and seminars from Pfizer. The authors report no further conflicts of interest in this work.