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ABSTRACT
Introduction: As a novel glucagon-like peptide-1receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) for type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment, the economic value of once-weekly semaglutide had been assessed in several country settings. The authors’ objective was to systematically review the existing pharmacoeconomic literature evaluating the cost-effectiveness associated with once-weekly semaglutide compared with other GLP-1 RAs and provide implications for further researches.
Areas covered: We conducted a systematic literature review of cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) published up to 25 July 2020 in PubMed, web of science, and the ISPOR presentation database, compared once-weekly semaglutide with other GLP-1 RAs in T2D. Nineteen studies were identified, including 8 short-term and 11 long-term studies. General characteristics and main results of the included studies were summarized.
Expert opinion: This review provided references for other countries to overview the value of once-weekly semaglutide compared with other GLP-1 RAs in T2D in the healthcare decision-making process and to conduct their CEA studies associated with once-weekly semaglutide. The authors found that the cardiovascular (CV) benefit of once-weekly semaglutide was under-estimated in current studies and suggested that the methods of economic evaluations for novel anti-diabetic drugs with CV benefit should be improved in future researches.
Article highlights
Currently, the published literature mainly reported once-weekly semaglutide to be a cost-saving and cost-effective alternative treatment compared with dulaglutide and other GLP-1 RAs. This paper was the first systematic literature review to evaluate the cost-effectiveness studies assessing once-weekly semaglutide in type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Across all the included studies, once-weekly semaglutide was more effective at bringing patients to each endpoint, resulting in higher cost-of-control for dulaglutide and other GLP-1 RAs in a 1-year time horizon evaluation. In projection over the lifetime horizon, once-weekly semaglutide was associated with more QALYs gain and suggested a dominant or highly cost-effective treatment than dulaglutide and other GLP-1 RAs.
The value of once-weekly semaglutide was seemed to be conservative, especially when compared to exenatide ER and lixisenatide because the CV benefit of once-weekly semaglutide was underestimated in current modeling studies. Developing and improving diabetes models that consider the CV outcomes would be necessary for further economic evaluation on innovative anti-diabetes drugs, including once-weekly semaglutide.
Author contributions
The study idea and concept was done by ZR and HH; ZR and LY performed the systematic literature search; HS and YW contributed to the data collection, ZR, LY and HS performed the data analysis and interpretation of data; LY and ZR performed the quality assessment; ZR contributed to the manuscript writing, XY and ML proofread the manuscript and provided input in formulating the draft.
Declaration of interest
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.
Reviewers disclosure
A reviewer on this manuscript has disclosed that they are a consultant who has worked with Eli Lilly and Company. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no other relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.
Supplementary material
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.