PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 665 - 27 Oct 2012

Deferasirox dominatesdeferoxamine for iron overload

Deferasirox is the dominant strategy compared withdeferoxamine for the management of iron overload inpatients with beta-thalassaemia, according to researchconducted in the UK.

A Markov model was used to describe the long-termcosts and number of QALYs associated with the two ironchelation therapies when treatment was initiated at age6 years. The analysis was conducted over a lifetimehorizon from the perspective of the UK health serviceand costs were reported in 2011 British pounds.

Drug costs were higher for deferasirox (by about£100 000), but the oral route of administration for thisagent meant that equipment costs associated with thesubcutaneous injection of deferoxamine were avoided(approximately £170 000). Deferasirox recipients gaineda mean of 4.85 QALYs compared with deferoxamine.With lower costs and a higher number of QALYs,deferasirox was the dominant treatment strategy.Deferasirox was dominant in a variety of scenarios, andstill remained cost effective versus deferoxamine in theworse-case analysis (incremental cost-effectivenessratio £12 166).Karnon J, et al. Lifetime cost-utility analyses of deferasirox in beta thalassaemiapatients with chronic iron overload: a UK perspective. Clinical Drug Investigation32: No. 12, 3 Oct 2012. Available from: URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40261-012-0008-2 801163606

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 27 Oct 2012 No. 6651173-5503/10/0665-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved