Euflexxa "cost-effective" at extending QALYs

Ferring Pharmaceuticals presented the results of a cost-utility study supporting the adoption of Euflexxa (1% sodium hyaluronate) intra-articular hyaluronic acid for the relief of pain in patients with osteoarthritis, at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting in Boston. Using data from a larger trial, the study demonstrated that an intra-articular treatment course of HA for knee OA, as compared with non-HA therapy, provides a cost-utility benefit that supports adopting this technology. The firm noted that OA costs the US health care system nearly $100.0 billion per year.

The study of 160 patients with knee OA compared costs and the extension of quality-adjusted life years. Patients were randomized to receive either three 2ml injections of Euflexxa or to be in a control group maintained on their prior non-HA therapy. Patients' utility scores were estimated and used to calculate QALYs and cost-effectiveness was expressed as average and incremental cost per QALY. The responder rate for patients in the HA treatment arm was 83%, and the mean QALY gained was 0.0877 for each patient responding to HA over baseline. When the QALY change of the non-responders was set as zero, HA yielded a cost-utility ratio of $38,964, while that of the control group ranged from $36,077 (75% response rate) to $139,648 (25% response rate).