ICER Report Finds Hemophilia Biosimilar Cost-Effective

A recent draft report from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) examined the cost-effectiveness Hemlibra (emicizumab-kxwh; Genentech), a biosimilar that treats hemophilia A with inhibitors.

The researchers examined how Hemlibra performed among patients with hemophilia A with inhibitors to factor VIII who were not treated with immune tolerance induction

(ITI) or for whom ITI did not work. They compared injection of Hemlibra to both no prophylactic therapy and prophylaxis with a BPA. Factors from all settings, including inpatient, outpatient, office, and home care settings.

“The findings of our analysis suggest that [Hemlibra] prophylaxis provides gains in quality-adjusted life years at substantially lower costs over a lifetime horizon, with these findings remaining robust across multiple sensitivity and scenario analyses,” David Rind, MD, chief medical officer at ICER, and colleagues, wrote in the draft report.

The list price for is estimated at $482,000 for the first year of treatment and an additional $448,000 for each treatment year thereafter. The researchers found that Hemlibra would save $1,852,696 in costs per adult patient per year.

The researchers also noted that Hemlibra has a reduced administration burden, which could account for some additional quality of life and cost improvements.

“Although not directly reported in trials, [Hemlibra] is substantially less burdensome for patients and families than BPAs,” they wrote. “Emicizumab is administered by subcutaneous injection once per week, while BPAs are administered by intravenous infusion multiple times per week.”

—David Costill