Cost-minimisation analysis of anti-VEGF therapies in neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular oedema in Switzerland.

OBJECTIVE

This study compares the direct healthcare costs of anti-VEGF therapies, including treat-and-extend (T&E) and other durable regimens, for unilateral neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic macular oedema (DMO) in Switzerland.

METHODS

An adapted cost-minimisation model estimated healthcare costs over two years for aflibercept 2 mg, aflibercept 8 mg, faricimab, ranibizumab, and ranibizumab biosimilars using clinical trial injection frequencies. Break-even analyses identified the medication prices and injection frequencies required for higher-cost therapies to achieve cost parity with the least expensive options. A one-way sensitivity analysis (OWSA) assessed key drivers of cost outcomes.

RESULTS

Aflibercept 8 mg was estimated to be associated with the lowest treatment costs for both indications (CHF 11,814 for nAMD; CHF 11,242 for DMO). Faricimab (CHF 13,737) and aflibercept 2 mg (CHF 15,243) followed in nAMD and DMO. Ranibizumab and its biosimilars incurred the highest costs: for nAMD, biosimilars ranged from CHF 16,243 to CHF 17,497 and the reference product reached CHF 18,424; for DMO, biosimilars ranged from CHF 18,187 to CHF 19,596, with the reference product at CHF 20,637. Break-even analyses for nAMD showed that prices would need to drop by -22% (faricimab, CHF 644) to -64% (ranibizumab reference, CHF 218) relative to aflibercept 8 mg. For DMO, reductions ranged from -42% (aflibercept 2 mg, CHF 493) to -81% (ranibizumab reference, CHF 114). The OWSA highlighted medication price and injection frequency as primary cost drivers.

CONCLUSIONS

This study estimated that the potentially minimized injection frequency of aflibercept 8 mg in a clinical trial regimen may result in the lowest treatment costs for nAMD and DMO, followed by faricimab and aflibercept 2 mg, respectively.