Budesonide/Formoterol More Cost Effective Than Salmeterol/Fluticasone In Severe COPD

Main Category: COPD
Article Date: 11 Sep 2006 - 20:00 PDT

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New health economic data presented today at the European Respiratory Society 2006 Annual Congress (ERS) add to a growing body of evidence demonstrating a further benefit of budesonide/formoterol in COPD. An analysis of switching patients from LABA-therapy to ICS/LABA combination therapy showed that when compared with the respective LABA, budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort®) is more cost-effective than salmeterol/fluticasone (Seretide™) in the treatment of severe COPD1.

"As COPD is mainly managed in primary care where budgets are constantly under scrutiny, it is important to assess the cost-effectiveness of available treatments. The data presented at ERS are very interesting and give us a clearer picture of the role that budesonide/formoterol can play in the treatment of COPD," said Professor Peter Calverley, Aintree Chest Centre, University of Liverpool, UK.

By using a Markov model of the economic impact of COPD, a computer simulation was performed with 4,000 patients over 1 year to compare the reduction in exacerbations frequency and difference in drug costs for formoterol versus budesonide/formoterol and salmeterol versus salmeterol/fluticasone. The relative cost-effectiveness of budesonide/formoterol and salmeterol/fluticasone was then examined showing that switching patients from formoterol to budesonide/formoterol rather than from salmeterol to salmeterol/fluticasone, results in a saving of SEK 1,276 (Euro 138) per patient in healthcare costs per year. When epidemiological data were applied, total annual savings for the Swedish healthcare system were estimated at SEK 70,180,000 (Euro 7,565,394).

"The health economic data presented today add cost-effectiveness to the existing body of evidence for budesonide/formoterol in the treatment of COPD. We are committed to meeting the needs of patients with respiratory diseases and are therefore encouraged by the consistent flow of data in support of budesonide/formoterol," said Chris Jones, VP of Symbicort at AstraZeneca.

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Budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort®) is licensed for use in COPD patients with an FEV1<50% uncontrolled on LABA alone.

References:
1. Borg S, Ericsson A. Budesonide/formoterol is more cost-effective than salmeterol/fluticasone in severe COPD: a Markov model simulation. Abstract presented at ERS 2006.

For further information please go to:
http://www.astrazeneca.com/

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