Cost-effectiveness and Budget Impact of Treatment with Evolocumab Versus Statins and Ezetimibe for Hypercholesterolemia in Spain.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: To analyze the cost-effectiveness ratio and budget impact of treatment with evolocumab (PCSK9 inhibitor) for patients in secondary prevention in the Spanish National Health System. METHODS: A budget impact analysis, decision tree and Markov models were designed under the public health system perspective, based on the only study with morbidity and mortality data (FOURIER). The alternatives compared were evolocumab vs statins, and dual therapy with ezetimibe in 5% of the population. The measure of effectiveness used was the number of cardiovascular events avoided. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: The average annual cost of patients receiving evolocumab was 11 134.78€ and 393.83€ for standard treatment (statins plus ezetimibe). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was > 600 000 € per avoided cardiovascular event for both assessed outcomes (first: cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and hospitalization due to unstable angina or coronary revascularization; second: includes the first 3 events). To perform the 10-year Markov model, the average cost of standard treatment was 13 948.45€ vs 471 417.37€ with evolocumab. Treatment with evolocumab for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia would cost between 3 and 6.1 million euros, assuming a difference of 2.5 and 5.1 million euros with the standard treatment (2017). This difference would be between 204.3 and 1364.7 million euros (2021) for those with nonfamiliar hypercholesterolemia (secondary prevention). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with evolocumab is associated with a lower frequency of cardiovascular events, but is inefficient for patients suitable to receive this drug in the Spanish National Health System.

Coste-efectividad e impacto presupuestario del tratamiento con evolocumab frente a estatinas y ezetimiba para la hipercolesterolemia en España / Cost-effectiveness and budget impact of treatment with evolocumab versus statins and ezetimibe for hypercholesterolemia in Spain

Introducción y objetivos: Analizar la razón de coste-efectividad y el impacto presupuestario del tratamiento con evolocumab (inhibidor de la PCSK9) para pacientes en prevención secundaria en el Sistema Nacional de Salud español. Métodos: Se realizaron, desde la perspectiva del sistema sanitario público, análisis de impacto presupuestario, modelos de árbol de decisión y Markov, basándose en el único ensayo clínico con datos de morbimortalidad (FOURIER). Las alternativas comparadas fueron evolocumab frente a estatinas y un 5% ezetimiba conjuntamente. La medida de eficacia utilizada fue el número de eventos cardiovasculares evitados. Se realizaron análisis de sensibilidad univariable y probabilístico. Resultados: El coste sanitario promedio de los pacientes tratados a 26 meses con evolocumab fue de 11.134,78 euros y de 393,83 euros con el estándar (estatinas + ezetimiba). El coste-efectividad incremental superó los 600.000 euros por evento cardiovascular evitado en las 2 variables (primera: muerte cardiovascular, infarto de miocardio, accidente cerebrovascular, hospitalización por angina inestable o revascularización coronaria; segunda: incluye los 3 primeros eventos). A 10 años, el modelo de Markov mostró un coste promedio de 471.417,37 frente a 13.948,45 euros con evolocumab y estándar respectivamente. El tratamiento con evolocumab en hipercolesterolemia familiar supondría anualmente entre 3 y 6,1 millones de euros, lo que supone una diferencia de 2,5-5,1 millones de euros con el tratamiento estándar (2017). Para el año 2021, en hipercolesterolemia no familiar (prevención secundaria), la diferencia osciló entre 204,3 y 1.364,7 millones de euros. Conclusiones: El evolocumab se asocia con menor frecuencia de eventos cardiovasculares, pero resulta ineficiente para los pacientes susceptibles de recibirlo en el Sistema Nacional de Salud

Introduction and objectives: To analyze the cost-effectiveness ratio and budget impact of treatment with evolocumab (PCSK9 inhibitor) for patients in secondary prevention in the Spanish National Health System. Methods: A budget impact analysis, decision tree and Markov models were designed under the public health system perspective, based on the only study with morbidity and mortality data (FOURIER). The alternatives compared were evolocumab vs statins, and dual therapy with ezetimibe in 5% of the population. The measure of effectiveness used was the number of cardiovascular events avoided. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: The average annual cost of patients receiving evolocumab was 11 134.78€ and 393.83€ for standard treatment (statins plus ezetimibe). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was > 600 000 € per avoided cardiovascular event for both assessed outcomes (first: cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and hospitalization due to unstable angina or coronary revascularization; second: includes the first 3 events). To perform the 10-year Markov model, the average cost of standard treatment was 13 948.45€ vs 471 417.37€ with evolocumab. Treatment with evolocumab for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia would cost between 3 and 6.1 million euros, assuming a difference of 2.5 and 5.1 million euros with the standard treatment (2017). This difference would be between 204.3 and 1364.7 million euros (2021) for those with nonfamiliar hypercholesterolemia (secondary prevention). Conclusions: Treatment with evolocumab is associated with a lower frequency of cardiovascular events, but is inefficient for patients suitable to receive this drug in the Spanish National Health System