Evaluating the Second Line Rimegepant Versus Triptans for Migraine Therapy in China: A Five-Year Budget Impact Analysis

OBJECTIVES: For the second line therapy for migraine, triptan drugs would develop resistance to migraine over a long period of time, the new drug Rimegepant is a good alternative. The study aimed to estimate the impact of Rimegepant versus triptans for patients with migraine in China.

METHODS: We compared two scenarios under a 5-year time horizon for the budget impact analysis model. The drug and adverse events costs were considered, and annual course cost for Rimegepant versus triptans. One-way sensitivity analysis was carried out on all relevant costs and parameters to explore the robust of the budget impact analysis model.

RESULTS: The results showed a positive budget of cumulative for the future four years. After Rimegepant entered the medical insurance system in the baseline year, the annual increase of medical insurance fund budget for Rimegepant from 2022 to 2026 was 52.63 million yuan, 108.03 million yuan, 166.31 million yuan, 227.58 million yuan and 291.95 million yuan, respectively. The annual increase of total medical insurance fund budget from 2022 to 2026 was 52.10million yuan, 91.44 million yuan, 137.62million yuan, 186.01 million yuan, and 236.60 million yuan, respectively. One-way sensitivity analysis confirmed the model's robustness.

CONCLUSIONS: The increase of annual medical insurance fund budget would increase in the next four years. Considered the impact of Rimegepant's market share on Triptans, this study provided a new plan for medical insurance payers.