Cost-effectiveness analysis of azacitidine in the treatment of high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes in Spain

Real-World Costs of Azacitidine Treatment in Patients With Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes/Low Blast-Count Acute Myeloid Leukemia

PURPOSE

Azacitidine (AZA) is a standard of care for higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/low blast-count acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Despite this, there is a paucity of data on the real-world health care resource utilization costs of AZA in this population.

METHODS

We linked the Ontario AZA MDS registry-higher-risk MDS/low blast-count AML-to population-based health system administrative databases. Patients were observed for 24 months after first AZA and censored at the earliest of 90 days after last AZA, date of death, time of AML induction/stem-cell transplantation, or March 31, 2016. Costs (2015 Canadian dollars) were expressed as standardized mean and median 28-day costs. Univariable quantile regression was used to explore the association of baseline patient and disease characteristics and median cost. Multivariable quantile regression was used to explore predictors of median costs.

RESULTS

Among 877 patients in the registry, mean standardized 28-day cost per patient was $17,638 (median, $15,272; interquartile range [IQR], $11,869-$19,580) and $13,450 (median, $11,043; IQR, $7,981-$14,882) excluding the cost of AZA. Major nondrug drivers of cost were cancer clinic visits and inpatient care (mean standardized 28-day cost, $4,631; median, $1,558; IQR, $238-$4,961). Transfusion dependence at AZA initiation (P = .001) and greater comorbid disease burden (P = .009) were independently associated with increased cost.

CONCLUSION

Our cohort of patients with uniformly higher-risk MDS/low blast-count AML treated with AZA demonstrates substantial costs of care above and beyond the cost of AZA alone. These results provide insight into the costs of AZA in the real world with implications for resource allocation.

Cost-Effectiveness Of Midostaurin In The Treatment Of Acute Myeloid Leukemia With The FLT3 Mutation In Spain

Purpose

The addition of midostaurin to standard chemotherapy (cytarabine and daunorubicin) has shown significant improvements in the survival of patients with acute myeloid leukemia with the FLT3 mutation (FLT3-AML). The objective of this study was to determine whether this intervention would be cost-effective in Spain.

Methods

A partitioned survival model with five health states was developed (diagnosis and induction, complete remission, no complete remission, transplantation and death). A lifetime time horizon and the Spanish National Health System perspective were adopted. During the first three years, permanence in the different health states was determined according to the results of the RATIFY study. In successive years, the death rates of the Spanish population adjusted by a factor to reflect long-term disease-related mortality were used. Utilities were obtained from the literature. Pharmacological costs (first and second line) and the costs of other health resources (hospitalizations, visits and tests) were included. The robustness of the model was evaluated by deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Results

The addition of midostaurin resulted in 1.46 life years gained (LYG) and 1.23 quality-adjusted life years (QALY) gained and implied an additional cost of € 47,955, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of € 32,854/LYG and an incremental cost-utility ratio of € 38,985/QALY. In the univariate sensitivity analysis, the threshold of € 50,000/QALY was not exceeded in any case; taking into consideration potential discounts of 20-40% in the PVL of midostaurin the ICER would be below € 30,000/QALY, a commonly accepted threshold in Spain. In the probabilistic analysis, when the threshold was € 50,000/QALY, midostaurin was cost-effective in 82.3% of simulations.

Conclusion

According to our modeling, midostaurin, in combination with standard chemotherapy, could be an efficient alternative for the treatment of FLT3-AML in Spain.

Cost-effectiveness of Ruxolitinib vs Best Available Therapy in the Treatment of Myelofibrosis in Spain

Introduction: Primary myelofibrosis (MF) is a rare hematologic disease belonging to the group of Philadelphia-negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms. Identification of the Janus Kinase (JAK) gene mutations inaugurated a new era in the targeted therapy of myeloproliferative diseases. Ruxolitinib is the first JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor specifically approved for the treatment of disease-related splenomegaly or symptoms in adult patients with primary myelofibrosis. The objective of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of ruxolitinib vs best available therapy (BAT) in MF patients in Spain. Methods: A decision-tree and Markov model were adapted to the Spanish setting to assess the cost-effectiveness of ruxolitinib vs. BAT on a lifetime horizon (≤15 years) from the societal perspective, while healthcare system perspective was included in the one-way sensitivity analysis. The population was assumed to be similar to that of the COMFORT-II clinical trial (CT), which was also the source of treatment efficacy data. BAT composition was derived from the same CT and validated with Spanish experts. Utilities were derived from the COMFORT-I CT. Costs included treatment, management, hospitalizations, emergency and outpatient visits, as well as adverse events and end-of-life costs. Additionally, costs associated to productivity loss were taken into account. Resource use was validated with experts and costs were extracted from Spanish sources. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis was also performed to evaluate the consistency of the results under the uncertainty or variability of the input data. Results: Patients on ruxolitinib accumulated 6.1 life years gained (LYGs), resulting in 73% extra life-years compared to patients treated with BAT (3.5LYs gained). Ruxolitinib provided 4.4 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), with a 99% improvement compared to BAT (2.2 QALYs). This analysis gave an incremental cost of €47 199 per LYG and an incremental cost of €55 616 per QALY gained from the societal perspective. Conclusions: Ruxolitinib would be cost-effective in Spain according to the end-of-life criteria defined by the NICE and commonly referred for Spain (cost-effectiveness threshold of €61 500/QALY), in line with results published for other European countries.

Monthly blood transfusions decrease after four months of azacitidine

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Azacitidine (AZA) improves overall survival and transfusion independence in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). We aimed to quantify the reduction in red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and to determine when this reduction occurs, in MDS patients treated with AZA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective audit of changes in RBC transfusion burden in 51 patients with predominantly higher risk MDS (26.5% high risk, 51.0% intermediate-2) who received AZA. Transfusion requirements were audited 6 months prior to and up to 18 months after therapy initiation, and data were analysed using a generalized linear mixed model.

RESULTS

At baseline, 30 patients (58.8%) were transfusion dependent (TD). Seventeen patients (56.7%) achieved transfusion independence (TI) by 18 months, and 8 of these patients (47.1%) achieved this response by 4 months on therapy. Achievement of TI was not consistently durable in these 17 patients, as 11 patients reverted to TD while on therapy. Meanwhile, 6 of 21 patients who were TI at baseline became TD on therapy. The monthly average of RBC units transfused decreased significantly beginning at 4 months, with a reduction from 2.50 units per month at baseline to 1.00 units per month at month 4. This 60% reduction was significant (P = 0.002) and sustained beyond 12 months.

CONCLUSION

These results bolster the notion that AZA significantly reduces transfusion burden and resource utilization and illustrate the limitations of the current WHO erythroid response criteria which do not account for differing durability and fluctuations of response.

Azacitidine for myelodysplastic patients aged > 65 years: a review of clinical efficacy

INTRODUCTION

Therapeutic strategies for elderly patients affected by myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are scarce and only few patients have an advantage in performing allogeneic bone marrow transplant.

AREAS COVERED

Primary endpoints for treatment of elderly MDS patients were not curative, but rather allowing to maintain a good quality of life through prolongation of overall survival. In this context, azacitidine showed to improve responses in this subset of patients compared to conventional established regimens, such as intensive or low-dose chemotherapy and best supportive care. Good safety profile of the drug was reported either when it was used inside or outside clinical trials. Improved quality of response was observed when the drug was administered beyond the first response, and it is now usually recommended to continue it at the same dose and schedule in responding patients.

EXPERT OPINION

Evaluation of baseline prognostic factors and comorbidities may help to identify patients who can benefit from the prolonged administration of the drug. Real life data regarding efficacy and safety of azacitidine in MDS elderly patients are required in order to confirm the results of clinical trials.