Cost of filgrastim biosimilars compared to originator filgrastim

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Cost of filgrastim biosimilars compared to originator filgrastim

Biosimilares/Investigación | Posted 05/06/2015 0 Post your comment

Italian researchers have completed a retrospective cost analysis comparing the use of filgrastim biosimilars with the originator granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Their retrospective, single institution study of 56 lymphoma and myeloma patients concluded that treatment with the biosimilars Tevagrastim and Zarzio was associated with cost reductions of 56% and 86%, respectively.

Simona Bassi and co-authors at the Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital in Piacenza, Italy, analysed data from patients treated between 2011 and 2014 who had undergone autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) at the Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital. A total of 25 patients had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, 25 patients had multiple myeloma and six patients had Hodgkin’s disease.

Of these, 17 patients received Tevagrastim (Filgrastim XM02) (Teva) and 39 patients received Zarzio (Sandoz) [1].

For the cost analysis, the authors considered the mean inpatient cost of each of the filgrastim biosimilars, calculated from the total number of vials used by the patient to achieve bone marrow recovery, and compared this with the predicted cost of using the originator product Neupogen (Amgen). The cost of one vial of Tevagrastim at the Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital was Euros 34.10 (US$42.51), while one vial of Zarzio cost Euros 10.85 (US$13.5). This was 56% and 86% cheaper, respectively, than one vial of Neupogen, which cost (Euros 77.53/US$96.65).

Looking at the total number of vials used of the single types of filgrastim biosimilar, the mean cost of G-CSF support in the Tevagrastim group was Euros 250.73/patient (US$312.6), while the mean cost in the Zarzio group was Euros 76.22/patient (US$95). The total cost of treatment with Zarzio for one patient was the same as the cost of just one day of therapy with the originator.

Although the study was small and retrospective, conclude the authors, the potential for such reduced hospitalization costs makes the case for prospective studies to further investigate these findings.

It has been estimated that biosimilars could cut spending on biologicals in the US by US$44 billion over the next decade [2].

Conflict of interest
The authors of the research paper [1] declared that they had no conflicts of interest.

Efficacy of filgrastim biosimilars following stem-cell transplantation

How safe is Zarzio after five years’ clinical experience?

Editor’s Comment
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References
1. Bassi S, Stroppa EM, Moroni CF, et al. Safety and efficacy of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor biosimilars in engraftment after autologous stem cell transplantation for haematological malignancies: a 4-year, single institute experience with different conditioning regimens. Blood Transfus.2015 Feb 2:1-6.
2. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Biosimilars could save US$44.2 billion over 10 years, [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2015 Jun 5]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Reports/Biosimilars-could-save-US-44.2-billion-over-10-years

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