Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of Direct Activity Antiviral Drugs Used for Treatment of Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C

Aims: Hepatitis C is one of the most important global health care problems. The goal of this study was to perform a pharmacoeconomic analysis of therapeutic schemes used in treatment of patients with genotype 1 chronic HCV by using direct-acting antiviral agents in combination with pegylated interferons and ribavirin.

Study Design: In the current study comparison of therapeutic schemes used in treatment of patients with genotype 1 chronic HCV by using direct-acting antiviral agents in combination with pegylated interferons and ribavirin was made.

Place and Duration of Study: Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Department of Biological and Medical Physics, Laboratory of government programs and development projects in life sciences (April 2015 - November 2015).

Methodology: In the current study Markov decision process model was built in order to assess long-term costs and efficacy of preparations under study. Comparison of therapeutic schemes for chronic HCV infection treatment was performed with the use of cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis. In costs-effectiveness analysis, therapeutic schemes for CHC treatment that include telaprevir, boceprevir and simeprevir, life years gained (LYG) and quality adjusted life years (QALY) served as a criterion of benefit in costs-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis respectively.

Results: Pharmacoeconomic analysis of treatment of chronic hepatitis C viral infection showed that the best combination of costs and effectiveness was observed in combined treatment with the use of pegylated interferon, ribavirin and boceprevir in treatment-naïve patients as well as patients with unsuccessful treatment experience.

Conclusion: Our results showed that combined therapy with the use of boceprevir is the most pharmacoeconomically justified in comparison with telaprevir and simeprevir-based treatment.