Using competence network collaboration and decision-analytic modeling to assess the cost-effectiveness of interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin as initial treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Germany

Quality of life in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection: Severe comorbidities and disease perception matter more than liver-disease stage

Background and aims

This study evaluated the clinical and non-clinical determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with untreated chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in France.

Methods

From 01/2014 to 01/2015, untreated CHC patients were invited to complete a questionnaire including EQ-5D utility instrument and two visual analogue scales (VAS) measuring overall health and fatigue in three French centers (Paris, Lille and Montpellier). Answers were analyzed in mixed models (taking into account the clustering effects of centers and physicians).

Results

Five hundreds and five patients were enrolled: 52% males; the mean age was 54; 41% had BMI>25; 64% had genotype 1; 36% were at the stage of severe fibrosis (F3-F4); 38% had severe comorbidities other than liver-related. In the univariate analysis, EQ-5D utility was associated with socio-demographic variables as age, place of birth, education, and employment; CHC-related variables as conditions of HCV screening and severity of fibrosis; CHC-unrelated variables as comorbidities other than CHC, being overweight, and psychiatric disorders; feelings about CHC disease as perception of progression, lack of information on CHC and its treatments, and entourage’s feeling. In multivariate analysis, EQ-5D utility was affected by not being in employment (0.72 vs. 0.80), having severe comorbidities other than CHC (0.72 vs. 0.79), being overweight (0.73 vs. 0.78), and feeling worried about CHC progression (0.66 vs. 0.72–0.84). Similar results were found for the VAS.

Conclusions

The presence of severe comorbidities and worrying about CHC progression, but not stage of fibrosis, seem to alter significantly EQ-5D health utility in CHC French patients.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions targeting harm reduction and chronic hepatitis C cascade of care in people who inject drugs: The case of France

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) represent an opportunity to improve hepatitis C virus (HCV) care cascade. This combined with improved harm reduction interventions may lead to HCV elimination especially in people who inject drugs (PWID). We assessed the effectiveness/cost-effectiveness of improvements in harm reduction and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) care cascade in PWID in France. We used a dynamic model of HCV transmission and CHC natural history and evaluated the following: improved needle/syringe programmes-opioid substitution therapies, faster diagnosis/linkage to care, earlier treatment initiation, alone and in combination among active PWID (mean age = 36). Outcomes were as follows: life expectancy in discounted quality-adjusted life years (QALYs); direct lifetime discounted costs; incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER); number of infections/reinfections. Under the current practice, life expectancy was 15.846 QALYs, for a mean lifetime cost of €20 762. Treatment initiation at F0 fibrosis stage alone was less effective and more costly than faster diagnosis/linkage to care combined with treatment initiation at F0, which increased life expectancy to 16.694 QALYs, decreased new infections by 37%, with a ICER = €5300/QALY. Combining these interventions with harm reduction improvements was the most effective scenario (life expectancy = 16.701 QALYs, 41% decrease in new infections) but was not cost-effective (ICER = €105 600/QALY); it became cost-effective with higher initial HCV incidence rates and lower harm reduction coverage than in our base-case scenario. This study illustrated the high effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness, of a faster diagnosis/linkage to care together with treatment from F0 with DAAs. This "Test and treat" strategy should play a central role both in improving the life expectancies of HCV-infected patients, and in reducing HCV transmission.

Cost-Effectiveness of Treating Hepatitis C with Sofosbuvir/Ledipasvir in Germany

BACKGROUND

Infections with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) are a global public health problem. Long-term consequences are the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Newly introduced direct acting antivirals, especially interferon-free regimens, have improved rates of sustained viral response above 90% in most patient groups and allow treating patients who were ineligible for treatment in the past. These new regimens have replaced former treatment and are recommended by current guidelines. However, there is an ongoing discussion on high pharmaceutical prices. Our aim was to assess the long-term cost-effectiveness of treating hepatitis C genotype 1 patients with sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (SOF/LDV) treatment in Germany.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We used a Markov cohort model to simulate disease progression and assess cost-effectiveness. The model calculates lifetime costs and outcomes (quality-adjusted life years, QALYs) of SOF/LDV and other strategies. Patients were stratified by treatment status (treatment-naive and treatment-experienced) and absence/presence of cirrhosis. Different treatment strategies were compared to prior standard of care. Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate model robustness.

RESULTS

Base-case analyses results show that in treatment-naive non-cirrhotic patients treatment with SOF/LDV dominates the prior standard of care (is more effective and less costly). In cirrhotic patients an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 3,383 €/QALY was estimated. In treatment-experienced patients ICERs were 26,426 €/QALY and 1,397 €/QALY for treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients, respectively. Robustness of results was confirmed in sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis shows that treatment with SOF/LDV is cost-effective compared to prior standard of care in all patient groups considering international costs per QALY thresholds.

Cost-effectiveness and budget impact of interferon-free direct-acting antiviral-based regimens for hepatitis C treatment: the French case

We evaluated the cost-effectiveness and the budget impact of new DAA-based regimen use in France. A Markov model simulated chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment interventions with IFN-based and IFN-free regimens at stage of fibrosis ≥F3, ≥F2 or regardless of fibrosis stage, and treatment either with the least or the most expensive combination. It estimated quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). It also assessed the budget impact over 5 years of treating all CHC-screened patients, regardless of fibrosis, assuming ≤20 000 patients treated/year and priority to ≥F3. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted. For genotypes (G) 1-4, the initiation of IFN-free regardless of fibrosis was a cost-effective strategy compared to prior standard of care (SOC) initiated at stage F2: €40 400-88 300/QALY gained in G1; similar results were obtained for patients infected with G4. Considering G2-3, the most cost-effective strategy was IFN-based regimens regardless of fibrosis compared to prior SOC initiated at stage F2: €21 300 and €19 400/QALY gained, respectively; the strategy with IFN-free regimens being more effective but not cost-effective at current costs. The budget impact of treating all CHC-screened patients over 5 years would range between 3.5 and 7.2 billion €, depending on whether one considers the least or the most expensive combination of new DAAs and whether one treats G2-3 with IFN-based or IFN-free new DAAs. In France, treatment initiation with new DDAs regardless of fibrosis stage is cost-effective, but would add 3.5-7.2 billion € to an already overburdened medical care system.

Economic assessment of eltrombopag in the treatment of thrombocytopenia

OBJECTIVE

This study assesses the cost-effectiveness of eltrombopag in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related thrombocytopenia.

METHODS

A Markov model was constructed on the basis of the clinical trials ENABLE 1 and ENABLE 2. Three alternatives were considered: scenario 1; treatment with eltrombopag in both the enabling phase and during antiviral therapy, as in the ENABLE trial design; scenario 2; no eltrombopag treatment and no antiviral therapy; scenario 3; no eltrombopag treatment and subsequent administration of a reduced dose of peg-IFN.

RESULTS

Base case results demonstrate that scenario 1 is associated with a cost per QALY of €30,020.94 in comparison with scenario 2. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio reaches a value of €32,752.44 per QALY when scenario 1 is compared with scenario 3.

CONCLUSION

The use of eltrombopag in HCV patients with thrombocytopenia is cost-effective as it leads to a reduction in disease progression and thus a drop in the number of patients with advanced liver disease.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of simeprevir with daclatasvir for non-cirrhotic genotype-1b-naïve patients plus chronic hepatitis C

BACKGROUND

The cost of interferon-free combination therapies remains high to provide widespread access to treatment, regardless of fibrosis stage.

AIM

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of simeprevir/daclatasvir (SMV/DCV) therapy in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis C genotype-1b patients with moderate fibrosis.

METHODS

A Markov model was developed to simulate the natural history of chronic hepatitis C progression. The model estimated lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) for a cohort of patients from the Spanish National Healthcare System perspective. The cost-effectiveness threshold considered was €40,000/QALY. The treatment strategies analyzed were SMV/DCV, peginterferon/ribavirin/telaprevir, and peginterferon/ribavirin/boceprevir. A sensitivity analysis was carried out.

RESULTS

The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of the SMV/DCV strategy were €23,774/QALY and €28,524/QALY compared with that of telaprevir or boceprevir triple therapy, respectively, for genotype-1b patients with moderate fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

SMV/DCV combination compared with the standard of care previous to the arrival of second-generation direct-acting antivirals fell below generally accepted willingness-to-pay threshold. Results obtained should be supported by ongoing clinical trials.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of sofosbuvir-based regimens for chronic hepatitis C

BACKGROUND

A new scenario of therapy for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is being established with the approval of sofosbuvir (SOF).

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of SOF-based regimens approved in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) versus the standard of care for different genotypes and patient populations (naive or pretreated).

METHODS

A Markov model simulating CHC progression was used to estimate disease treatment costs and effects over patients' lifetimes, from the Spanish National Public Healthcare System perspective. Different therapeutic options were analysed for genotypes 1, 2 and 3 in naive population and for genotype 2 and 3 pretreated patients, according to data obtained from clinical trials. A one-way sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the uncertainty of certain parameters: treatment starting age, transition probabilities, drug costs and discount rate. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis was also carried out.

RESULTS

For the naive population, the option SOF+pegylated-interferon-α (pIFN)+ribavirin (RBV) for 12 weeks recorded in SmPC for genotype 1 and 3 versus pIFN+RBV for 24 weeks estimated an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) below the €40,000/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) benchmark. For the pretreated population, SOF triple therapy reached an ICER on the threshold limit for genotype 3. Other options included in SmPC for different genotypes exceeded the accepted efficiency limit in our setting.

CONCLUSIONS

The options that included SOF+RBV+pIFN in a 12-week course regimen fell below the efficiency threshold considered in our setting. IFN-free regimens administered for 24 weeks reached figures over the benchmark of €40,000/QALY.

Should we await IFN-free regimens to treat HCV genotype 1 treatment-naive patients? A cost-effectiveness analysis (ANRS 95141)

BACKGROUND & AIMS

In treatment-naive patients mono-infected with genotype 1 chronic HCV, treatments with telaprevir/boceprevir (TVR/BOC)-based triple therapy are standard-of-care. However, more efficacious direct-acting antivirals (IFN-based new DAAs) are available and interferon-free (IFN-free) regimens are imminent (2015).

METHODS

A mathematical model estimated quality-adjusted life years, cost and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of (i) IFN-based new DAAs vs. TVR/BOC-based triple therapy; and (ii) IFN-based new DAAs initiation strategies, given that IFN-free regimens are imminent. The sustained virological response in F3-4/F0-2 was 71/89% with IFN-based new DAAs, 85/95% with IFN-free regimens, vs. 64/80% with TVR/BOC-based triple therapy. Serious adverse events leading to discontinuation were taken as: 0-0.6% with IFN-based new DAAs, 0% with IFN-free regimens, vs. 1-10% with TVR/BOC-based triple therapy. Costs were €60,000 for 12weeks of IFN-based new DAAs and two times higher for IFN-free regimens.

RESULTS

Treatment with IFN-based new DAAs when fibrosis stage ⩾F2 is cost-effective compared to TVR/BOC-based triple therapy (€37,900/QALY gained), but not at F0-1 (€103,500/QALY gained). Awaiting the IFN-free regimens is more effective, except in F4 patients, but not cost-effective compared to IFN-based new DAAs. If we decrease the cost of IFN-free regimens close to that of IFN-based new DAAs, then awaiting the IFN-free regimen becomes cost-effective.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with IFN-based new DAAs at stage ⩾F2 is both effective and cost-effective compared to TVR/BOC triple therapy. Awaiting IFN-free regimens and then treating regardless of fibrosis is more efficacious, except in F4 patients; however, the cost-effectiveness of this strategy is highly dependent on its cost.

Structural frameworks and key model parameters in cost-effectiveness analyses for current and future treatments of chronic hepatitis C

OBJECTIVES

Published economic evaluations have reported available treatments for chronic hepatitis C to be cost-effective as part of the current approach to disease management, but as standards of care evolve, their approach to modeling should be reconsidered. This study aimed to review structural frameworks and key model parameters as reported in current economic evaluations for treatments for chronic hepatitis C, and model the impact of variability across parameters on results.

METHODS

A systematic review of studies published from 2000 to 2011 was performed. Studies were retrieved from five electronic databases using relevant search strategies. Model structures, disease progression rates, utilities, and costs were extracted from included studies, and were qualitatively reviewed and incorporated into a cost-utility model.

RESULTS

Thirty-four studies were appropriate for data extraction. A common pathway of six disease states was identified. In some studies the early disease stages and/or the decompensated cirrhosis state were further subdivided. Large variability in values used for disease progression rates, utilities, and costs were identified. When incorporated into a model, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) varied: in the least favorable scenario, peginterferon plus ribavirin was dominated by interferon plus ribavirin; and in the most favorable scenario, peginterferon plus ribavirin dominated interferon plus ribavirin ($8,544 per quality-adjusted life year [QALY]; costs are given in 2008 US dollar amounts). Using mean values the ICER was $15,198 per QALY.

CONCLUSIONS

Current models use a simplistic structure resulting from the lack of available data reflecting patient heterogeneity. Key model parameters are currently based on a small number of studies and the variability across these values can affect the interpretation of results.

Economic evaluation of early monotherapy versus delayed monotherapy or combination therapy in patients with acute hepatitis C in Germany

BACKGROUND

Antiviral treatment of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) almost doubles the chance of sustained virological response (SVR) compared with that achievable by treating chronic HCV.

AIM

To conduct a health economic evaluation comparing early and delayed therapies for acute HCV in Germany.

METHODS

One hundred and thirty-three patients with acute HCV were evaluated in two early monotherapy (EMT) studies and 60 in a delayed therapy study. Efficacy was determined by SVR. In the EMT studies, patients were treated with either standard or pegylated interferon for 24 weeks. In the delayed therapy study, patients with persisting infection were treated with interferon monotherapy or combination therapy with ribavirin for a median of 36 weeks. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis based on the study results and a linear simulation model based on current treatment recommendations.

RESULTS

The SVR rate for the sex-adjusted on-treatment analysis between early and delayed therapies was not significantly different (92.7 vs. 90.9%; P = 0.7). Medication costs accounted for more than 90% in both treatment options. Direct medical costs of early therapy (euro7064/patient) were euro321 lower than those of delayed therapy (P = 0.8). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was -178 euro/SVR(%) (confidence interval: -224 to 360 euro/SVR(%)). Average modeled direct medical costs of delayed combination therapy were from euro6745 to euro8299 per patient (from approximately 7% less up to 15% higher than EMT). Spontaneous viral clearance and therapy duration were the most sensitive variables.

CONCLUSION

There was no significant efficacy and cost difference between therapy alternatives in base cases. However, in the majority of scenarios in the sensitivity analyses, EMT was a more cost-effective option in acute HCV therapy.

Long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of antiviral treatment in hepatitis C

We systematically reviewed the evidence for long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of antiviral treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We performed a systematic literature search on the long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of AVT in hepatitis C (1990-March 2007), and included health technology assessment (HTA) reports, systematic reviews, long-term clinical trials, economic studies conducted alongside clinical trials and decision-analytic modelling studies. All costs were converted to 2005euro. Antiviral therapy with peginterferon plus ribavirin in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C was the most effective (3.6-4.7 life years gained [LYG]) treatment and was reasonably cost-effective (cost-saving to 84 700euro/quality adjusted life years [QALY]) when compared to interferon plus ribavirin. Some results also suggest cost-effectiveness (below 8400euro/(QALY) of re-treatment in nonresponders/relapsers. Results for patients with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels or with special co-morbidities (e.g. HIV) or risk profiles were rare. We conclude that antiviral therapy may prolong life, improve long-term health-related quality-of-life and be reasonably cost-effective in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C as well as in former relapsers/nonresponders. Further research is needed in patients with specific co-morbidities or risk profiles.

[Health economics of chronic infectious diseases: the example of hepatitis C]

Based on the German Hepatitis C Model (GEHMO) we developed a Hepatitis C Policy Model and applied it to the heterogeneous German hepatitis C population within the German health care context. We used Markov cohort simulation to predict absolute clinical and economic outcomes for a 20-year time horizon. For the cost-effectiveness analysis, a lifelong time horizon was used. Four different strategies were compared: (1) no antiviral treatment, (2) interferon monotherapy, (3) combination therapy with interferon plus ribavirin, and (4) combination therapy with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. Based on our model, antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin could prevent about 17,000 cases of cirrhosis, 580 liver transplants, and 7,600 HCV-related deaths and is expected to save about 53,000 life years at total costs of 1.3 billion Euros within the next 20 years. Pegylated interferon plus ribavirin was the most effective treatment with an incremental cost-utility ratio of 23,000 Euros per quality-adjusted life year saved.