Single-inhaler triple therapy extra-fine formulation cost-effective for uncontrolled asthma

Single-inhaler triple therapy with the extra-fine formulation of beclometasone, formoterol fumarate and glycopyrronium was cost-effective in adults with uncontrolled asthma, researchers reported in Respiratory Medicine.

Martina Orlovic, MSc, PhD, director of global health economics and outcomes research at Chiesi Pharmaceuticals in Parma, Italy, and colleagues used data from the TRIMARAN and TRIGGER 52-week clinical trials of adults with asthma uncontrolled despite regular maintenance treatment with inhaled corticosteroid/LABA to assess the cost-effectiveness of medium- or high-dose single-inhaler triple therapy with beclometasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate/glycopyrronium (BDP/FF/G; Chiesi), as compared with medium- or high-dose BDP/FF and high-dose BDP/FF/G compared with high-dose BDP/FF plus tiotropium (Spiriva, Boehringer Ingelheim).

Compared with BDP/FF, medium- and high-dose BDP/FF/G were both cost-effective, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of 12,224 British pounds and 15,587 British pounds, respectively, per QALYs.

High-dose BDP/FF/G was dominant compared with BDP/FF plus tiotropium since it was 2,323 British pounds cheaper and gained 0.017 QALYs, the researchers reported.

These results remained consistent in sensitivity analyses, with medium- and high-dose BDP/FF/G having 94.3% and 88.3% likelihoods of being cost-effective, respectively, compared with BDP/FF, and high-dose BDP/FF/G had a 100% likelihood of being a dominant strategy compared with BDP/FF plus tiotropium.

The main limitation of these analyses were that they were based on clinical trial data, meaning researchers had to make assumptions when extrapolating data beyond the trial duration, the researchers noted.