PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 492 - 3 Dec 2005

Eletriptan cost-effective migrainetreatment

Eletriptan has the lowest total cost for treating 100migraine attacks and the lowest cost per successfullytreated patient, compared with other 5-HT1B/1D-receptoragonists (triptans), according to US-based researchers.

Their study abstracted clinical data from previousmeta-analyses of triptans (2001 and 2002), to estimatethe total cost to treat a hypothetical cohort of 100migraine attacks with each triptan using a model ofanticipated patient triptan use in a 24-hour period.*Patients who achieved pain relief (no pain or mild pain)within 2-hours of one dose and maintained that statusfor a further 22-hours were deemed successfullytreated. Cost effectiveness was calculated as a ratio ofthe total cost divided by the number of successfullytreated patients per 100 migraine attacks.**

Triptan costs to treat 100 migraine attacks and costeffectivenessTreatment Total cost to Costs per

treat 100 successfully treatedattacks ($US) patient ($US)

Almotriptan 12.5mg 1670 90.52Eletriptan 40mg 1560 56.39Naratriptan 2.5mg 1945 111.44Rizatriptan 5mg 1771 105.72Rizatriptan 10mg 1802 82.53Sumatriptan 50mg 1731 77.59Sumatriptan 100mg 1740 85.29Zolmitriptan 2.5mg 1629 75.62Zolmitriptan 5mg 1889 84.93

According to the model, eletriptan was the most cost-effective triptan treatment for migraine, whilenaratriptan was the least [see table]. A sensitivityanalysis varying the dosing assumptions showed similarcost-effectiveness trends.* This study was sponsored by Pfizer, with which two of theresearchers were affiliated.** Costs were based on average wholesale prices in 2004 values,minus 15% for brandname triptans, and were calculated from a payerperspective.

Perfetto EM, et al. An economic evaluation of triptan products for migraine. Valuein Health 8: 647-655, No. 6, Nov-Dec 2005 801025687

1

PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 3 Dec 2005 No. 4921173-5503/10/0492-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved