The economics of abiraterone acetate for castration-resistant prostate cancer

Abstract

Abiraterone acetate is an oral medication that has recently been granted approval for the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) prior and/or after chemotherapy with docetaxel. In this article we assess the economics of abiraterone acetate in mCRPC. Relevant studies demonstrated that abiraterone acetate had a minimal budget impact on health plans. A relevant advantage was the cost savings due to the lack of chemotherapy-related side effects as well as the ease of administration. The results of cost/benefit comparative studies with other novel agents (i.e. cabazitaxel, enzalutamide, sipuleucel-T) are warranted as well as the close collaboration between urologists and medical oncologists.

Keywords::

• abiraterone acetate
• castration resistant
• cost/benefit
• economics
• metastatic
• prostate cancer

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.

Key issues

• Abiraterone acetate is an oral medication that has been granted US FDA approval for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer prior and/or after chemotherapy with docetaxel.

• Available publications in the field of budget impact results of novel agents for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer such as abiraterone acetate are sparse.

• In comparison with other chemotherapeutic agents, abiraterone acetate had clearly a better safety and easily manageable profile and cost savings from not having to treat chemotherapy-related side effects.

• Abiraterone acetate had a minimal budget impact on health plans as demonstrated in a study where it increased per-member-per-month costs an average of US$0.0085–0.0112. Likewise, the sensitivity analyses addressing the components of uncertainty in the model show that the budgetary impact of abiraterone acetate is likely low.

• Close collaboration between urologists and medical oncologists is encouraged for the wiser use of abiraterone acetate.