Cost-effectiveness of sacubitril/valsartan in the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction


Abstract

Objective: Chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF) represents a major public health issue and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of sacubitril/valsartan (formerly LCZ696) compared with an ACE inhibitor (ACEI) (enalapril) in the treatment of HF-REF from the perspective of healthcare providers in the UK, Denmark and Colombia.

Methods: A cost-utility analysis was performed based on data from a multinational, Phase III randomised controlled trial. A decision-analytic model was developed based on a series of regression models, which extrapolated health-related quality of life, hospitalisation rates and survival over a lifetime horizon. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).

Results: In the UK, the cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained for sacubitril/valsartan (using cardiovascular mortality) was £17 100 (€20 400) versus enalapril. In Denmark, the ICER for sacubitril/valsartan was Kr 174 000 (€22 600). In Colombia, the ICER was COP$39.5 million (€11 200) per QALY gained. Deterministic sensitivity analysis showed that results were most sensitive to the extrapolation of mortality, duration of treatment effect and time horizon, but were robust to other structural changes, with most scenarios associated with ICERs below the willingness-to-pay threshold for all three country settings. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggested the probability that sacubitril/valsartan was cost-effective at conventional willingness-to-pay thresholds was 68%-94% in the UK, 84% in Denmark and 95% in Colombia.

Conclusions: Our analysis suggests that, in all three countries, sacubitril/valsartan is likely to be cost-effective compared with an ACEI (the current standard of care) in patients with HF-REF.

Keywords: health care economics; heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; quality and outcomes of care.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: CD and RH are permanent employees of Novartis AG. CD and RH oversaw the all stages of the economic evaluation and contributed to the design and reporting of the economic model. DRG Abacus received funding from Novartis AG to undertake the analysis and has supported EH, DT JJVM and FW through salary payments. York Health Economics Consortium received funding from Novartis AG to provide consulting input and has supported MT through salary payments. MRC and AB have received consulting fees from Novartis AG. JJVM’s employer, Glasgow University, has received consulting fees and research grant support from Novartis AG.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Conceptual model.?QALY,?quality-adjusted life-year.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Tornado diagrams.?ICER, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves.

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