Cost-effectiveness of omalizumab for uncontrolled allergic asthma in the Netherlands

AbstractBackground:Omalizumab, licensed for patients with uncontrolled persistent allergic (IgE mediated) asthma, was found to be cost-effective based upon its clinical trial data. Observational studies have been undertaken to determine the real life outcomes of using omalizumab in the community.Objective:To determine the cost-effectiveness of omalizumab based upon observational data from the Netherlands and compare to its cost-effectiveness using clinical trial data.Methods:An observational study (eXpeRience) recruited allergic asthma patients eligible for Omalizumab therapy and followed them while on treatment. At 1 year, data from the Dutch patients enrolled in eXpeRience were examined to estimate the number of exacerbations and resource use while on omalizumab therapy compared to the year prior to omalizumab use. Observational data were used in a Markov model to calculate the lifetime cost-effectiveness ratios.Results:In the 1 year prior to omalizumab therapy the per-person rate of exacerbations was 3...