Cost-effective treatment strategies for GA: Every-other-month dosing shows superiority over monthly regimen

Treatment of geography atrophy (GA) with intravitreal pegcetacoplan, particularly with a dosing regimen of every-other-month (EOM), demonstrates superior cost-effectiveness compared to monthly treatment, according to a cost-effectiveness analysis.

In addition, focusing on initially extrafoveal lesions yields greater utility than treating the entire patient population. As atrophy progression approaches an upper limit, the marginal cost-to-benefit ratios increase.

The study, drawing from the DERBY and OAKS trials, assessed the cost-effectiveness of treating GA with different dosing regimens. The results revealed that monthly treatment (EM) incurred costs of $70,000 over 2 years, while treatment every-other-month (EOM) amounted to $34,600. Furthermore, costs per unit area of delayed GA were $87,300/mm² (EM) and $49,200/mm² (EOM) for all patients, and $53,900/mm² (EM) and $32,100/mm² (EOM) for initially extrafoveal patients.

The analysis demonstrated that delaying GA for 2 years translated to costs per day of $295 (EM) and $170 (EOM). The marginal cost of EM versus EOM, per retinal pigment epithelium cell saved, stood at $30. Looking at a lifetime horizon, the modeled costs were estimated at $350,000 (EM) and $172,000 (EOM), or $309,000/mm² (EM) and $180,000/mm² (EOM).

Reference
Patel NA, Al-Khersan H, Yannuzzi NA, et al. A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Pegcetacoplan for the Treatment of Geographic Atrophy. Ophthalmol Retina. 2023;S2468-6530(23)00372-X. doi: 10.1016/j.oret.2023.08.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37572871.

This content is independent editorial sponsored by Astellas. Astellas had no input in the development of this content.