PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 601 - 17 Apr 2010

Omalizumab: a cost-effectivetreatment for allergic asthma?

A study published in Allergy has shown thatomalizumab improves health outcomes and increasescosts in patients with uncontrolled allergic asthma.*

The study used a lifetime Markov state-transitionmodel to estimate costs and outcomes for patientstreated with omalizumab for 5 years followed by usualcare compared with usual care alone. Costs (includingphysician visits, emergency room visits, hospital staysand drugs) from the US payer perspective wereconsidered.

In the base-case analysis, omalizumab was associatedwith an incremental cost of $US287 200 per QALY,compared with usual care. In a separate scenarioanalysis of omalizumab responders, this valuedecreased to $172 300 per QALY. The authors notedthat the results were sensitive to exacerbation rates,response definition, omalizumab price, andexacerbation-associated mortality.

"The cost-effectiveness of omalizumab is similar toother chronic disease biologics", say the researchers.* This study was funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

Campbell JD, et al. The costs and consequences of omalizumab in uncontrolledasthma from a USA payer perspective. Allergy : 10 Feb 2010. Available from:URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02336.x 803006468

1

PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 17 Apr 2010 No. 6011173-5503/10/0601-0001/$14.95 © 2010 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved