Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Pegmolesatide Compared to Darbepoetin in Patients With Anemia Caused by Chronic Kidney Disease: The Case of China

OBJECTIVES: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are used to treat anemia due to chronic kidney disease by stimulating the production of red blood cells. Pegmolesatide as one of ESAs, which was approved in 2023 by the National Medical Products Administration of China, offers a valuable and innovative treatment option. This study aimed to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis from a payer perspective to compare Pegmolesatide versus Darbepoetin in patients with anemia due to chronic kidney disease in China.

METHODS: The target population included hemodialysis and non-dialysis patients with anemia caused by chronic kidney disease. Two ESAs were compared over a one-year period: Pegmolesatide, and Darbepoetin, a commonly used and currently available medication. Due to the lack of head-to-head clinical trials, a network meta-analysis was employed, and then a cost-minimization analysis was performed based on the results of the network meta-analysis, which showed similar efficacy between the two drugs. Data regarding drug costs, drug administration, and adverse effects were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS: The network meta-analysis revealed that Pegmolesatide shows no statistically significant difference in efficacy in comparison with Darbepoetin for treating anemia associated with chronic kidney disease. Pegmolesatide exhibited a lower annual cost ($991.6), with a mean decrease of $1494.1 per patient compared to Darbepoetin ($2485.7).

CONCLUSIONS: Pegmolesatide demonstrated comparable clinical effectiveness to Darbepoetin for treating anemia associated with chronic kidney disease. Moreover, Pegmolesatide has lower annual costs, demonstrating cost-effectiveness advantages.