Cost-effectiveness analysis of alirocumab in high cardiovascular-risk patients in Italy

OBJECTIVE:Dyslipidemia, in particular elevated total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), results in atherosclerosis and increases the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events. Despite treatment with statins, many patients fail to reduce their LDL-C enough to optimally minimize their risk. Novel therapy alirocumab, on top of background statin therapy, resulted efficacious in lowering CV risk by reducing LDL-C levels. Aim of the present paper is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of alirocumab in high cardiovascular-risk patients in Italy METHODS: A 1-year cycles Markov model was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of statins at maximum dose tolerated plus ezetimibe (MDTS+E) with or without alirocumab. Target population consisted of patients with high baseline risk of CV events. Patients entered the model in stable disease and could experience a non- fatal CV event (acute coronary syndrome, elective revascularization or ischemic stroke) or die. Results from the ODYSSEY trial were used to evaluate CV risk reduction due to alirocumab add-on. Pharmaceutical, CV events, and LDL-C levels' detection costs are considered in the analysis from the perspective of Italian National Health Service. RESULTS: Simulated cohort was 75 years old on average, 66% male, 42% diabetes mellitus and baseline LDL-C level equal to 121mg/dl. Furthermore, 96% of subjects were hospitalized in the last 12 months. Alirocumab used as an add-on to MDTS+E was more costly ((sic) 45,358 vs (sic) 13,208) but more effective (8.01LY vs 6.33LY) than MDTS+E, leading to an incremental cost effectiveness ratio of (sic) 19,158 per LY. At a willingness to pay threshold of (sic) 30,000 per LY, alirocumab had 96% probability to be cost effective vs. MDTS+E alone. Results were relatively more favorable in the patient subset with recent CV event (<12 months from index). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that alirocumab in addition to MDTS+E is cost-effective versus MDTS+E alone in a representative cohort of high CV risk patients in Italy.