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. 2023 Apr;34(4):e13942.
doi: 10.1111/pai.13942.

Cost-effectiveness of omalizumab for the treatment of severe pediatric allergic asthma-Results of a real-life study in Spain

María Nieto-Cid  1   2 , Teresa Garriga-Baraut  3 , Ana Mª Plaza-Martín  4 , Miguel Tortajada-Girbés  5   6   7 , Javier Torres-Borrego  8 , Jaime Lozano-Blasco  4 , Laura Moreno-Galarraga  9 , Ma Del Mar Folqué-Giménez  4 , Montse Bosque-García  10 , Mirella Gaboli  11 , Alejandro López-Neyra  12 , Cristina Rivas-Juesas  13 , Mª Araceli Caballero-Rabasco  14 , Andrea Freixa-Benavente  3 , Laura Valdesoiro-Navarrete  10 , Inés de Mir-Messa  3 , Esther Ballester-Asensio  5   6 , María Penín-Antón  15 , Raquel Romero-García  16 , Juan Navarro-Morón  17 , Alfredo Valenzuela-Soria  18 , Mercedes Sánchez-Mateos  19 , José Batlles-Garrido  20 , Verónica Sanz-Santiago  21 , Álvaro Gimeno-Díaz de Atauri  22 , Anselmo Andrés-Martín  23 , Elena Campos-Alonso  24 , David Gómez-Pastrana  25 , Elena Vázquez-Rodríguez  26 , Luz Martínez-Pardo  27 , Genoveva Del Río-Camacho  28 , Ángel Mazón-Ramos  1 , Antonio Nieto-García  1
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Cost-effectiveness of omalizumab for the treatment of severe pediatric allergic asthma-Results of a real-life study in Spain

María Nieto-Cid et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Severe pediatric allergic asthma (SPAA) induces a huge economic burden in terms of direct, indirect, and intangible costs. The use of omalizumab for the treatment of these patients has produced a significant improvement in several clinical outcomes, but at the same time, the cost for the management of the disease has also increased. The aim of this report was to evaluate whether the use of omalizumab is cost-effective.

Methods: A sample of 426 children with SPAA from the ANCHORS (Asthma iN CHildren: Omalizumab in Real-life in Spain) study was used to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the avoidance of moderate-to-severe exacerbations (MSE) and also for the improvement in childhood Asthma Control Test (c-ACT) or the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ5). We retrospectively collected data on health encounters and drug consumption before and up to 6 years after the beginning of the treatment with omalizumab.

Results: The ICER per avoided MSE was €2107 after 1 year, and it consistently decreased to €656 in those followed up to 6 years. Similarly, the ICER for the minimally important difference in control tests showed a decrease from €2059 to €380 per each 0.5 points of improvement in ACQ5 and from €3141 to €2322 per each 3 points improvement in c-ACT, at years 1 and 6, respectively.

Conclusion: The use of OMZ is a cost-effective option for most children with uncontrolled SPAA, especially those who have frequent exacerbations; the costs are progressively reduced in successive years of treatment.

Keywords: ICER; biologics; cost; omalizumab; pharmacoeconomics; severe pediatric allergic asthma.

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References

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