Economic Value of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment for Patients With Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the United States

Question How much economic value do anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatments generate for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration and society in the United States? Findings In this economic evaluation study, visual acuity improvement associated with anti-VEGF treatments generated $5.1 billion to $8.2 billion in patient benefits and $0.9 billion to $3.0 billion in societal value (patient benefits net of treatment costs) across 3 years. Treatment innovations associated with improved adherence generated an additional $7.3 billion to $15.0 billion in patient benefits and $0.9 million to $4.3 billion in societal value compared with current treatment scenarios. Meaning This study's findings suggest that improved visual acuity associated with anti-VEGF treatment may provide economic value, and future innovations may result in added economic benefit. Importance Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) is a breakthrough treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), the most common cause of blindness in western countries. Anti-VEGF treatment prevents vision loss and has been shown to produce vision gains lasting as long as 5 years. Although this treatment is costly, the benefits associated with vision gains are large. Objective To estimate the economic value of benefits, costs for patients with wAMD, and societal value in the United States generated from vision improvement associated with anti-VEGF treatment. Design, Setting, and Participants This economic evaluation study used data from the published literature to simulate vision outcomes for a cohort of 168 820 patients with wAMD aged 65 years or older and to translate them into economic variables. Data were collected and analyzed from March 2018 to November 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures Main outcomes included patient benefits, costs, and societal value. Each outcome was estimated for a newly diagnosed cohort and the full population across 5 years, with a focus on year 3 as the primary outcome because data beyond that point may be less representative of the general population. Drug costs were the weighted mean across anti-VEGF therapies. Two current treatment scenarios were considered: less frequent injections (mean [SD], 8.2 [1.6] injections annually) and more frequent injections (mean [range], 10.5 [6.8-13.1] injections annually). The 2 treatment innovation scenarios, improved adherence and best case, had the same vision outcomes as the current treatment scenarios had but included more patients treated from higher initiation and lower discontinuation. Results The study population included 168 820 patients aged 65 years at the time of diagnosis with wAMD. The underlying clinical trials that were used to parameterize the model did not stratify visual acuity outcomes or treatment frequency by sex; therefore, the model parameters could not be stratified by sex. The current treatment scenario of less frequent injections generated $1.1 billion for the full population in year 1 and $5.1 billion in year 3, whereas the scenario of more frequent injections generated $1.6 billion (year 1) and $8.2 billion (year 3). Three-year benefits ranged from $7.3 billion to $11.4 billion in the improved adherence scenario and from $9.7 billion to $15.0 billion if 100% of the patients initiated anti-VEGF treatment and the discontinuation rates were 6% per year or equivalent to clinical trial discontinuation (best-case scenario). Societal value (patient benefits net of treatment cost) ranged from $0.9 billion to $3.0 billion across 3 years in the current treatment scenarios and from $0.9 billion to $4.3 billion in the treatment innovation scenarios. Conclusions and Relevance This study's findings suggest that improved vision associated with anti-VEGF treatment may provide economic value to patients and society if the outcomes match published outcomes data used in these analyses; however, future innovations that increase treatment utilization may result in added economic benefit. This economic evaluation study estimates the value generated by anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration and society in the United States.