CLINICAL AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF EMPEGFILGRASTIM VERSUS FILGRASTIM FOR FEBRILE NEUTROPENIAPROPHYLAXIS IN LYMPHOMA PATIENTS UNDERGOING HIGH-DOSE CHEMOTHERAPY: A REAL-WORLD STUDY
Author(s)
Ilya Zinchuk, PhD, Taras Khimich, PhD, MD, Daria Tolkacheva, MS.
BIOCAD JSC, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation.
BIOCAD JSC, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and economic impact of empegfilgrastim compared to filgrastim for the primary prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia (FN) in patients with lymphomas undergoing high-dose chemotherapy prior to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT).
METHODS: A retrospective study analyzed medical records of 104 patients with Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas treated between November 2019 and December 2024. Patients received high-dose chemotherapy for induction of remission before auto-HSCT. The study cohort was divided into two groups based on the G-CSF used for primary FN prophylaxis: empegfilgrastim (n=74) and filgrastim (n=30). Outcomes assessed included the incidence of FN, duration of hospitalization, chemotherapy cycle delays, and pharmacoeconomic parameters. Total direct medical costs were calculated based on public prices and actual hospital data, summarizing the costs of prophylaxis and the treatment of FN episodes.
RESULTS: The use of empegfilgrastim significantly reduced the incidence of FN compared to filgrastim. FN episodes occurred in only 1% of chemotherapy cycles in the empegfilgrastim group versus 16% in the filgrastim group (p < 0.001), and FN affected 3%versus 23% of patients (p < 0.001). The average duration of hospitalization was shorter in the empegfilgrastim group (7.5 vs.12.6 days, p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was observed regarding delays in chemotherapy intervals. Pharmacoeconomics demonstrated that although empegfilgrastim drug costs were higher (USD 166,157 vs. USD 59,631 per 100 patients), total direct medical costs including FN treatment were lower for empegfilgrastim group (USD 173,800 vs USD 181,920), resulting in 5% cost reduction
CONCLUSIONS: Empegfilgrastim provides superior prevention of febrile neutropenia in lymphoma patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy compared to short-acting filgrastim. Despite higher prophylaxis costs, the use of empegfilgrastim reduces overall healthcare expenditure by preventing expensive FN treatment episodes. It represents a clinically effective and economically beneficial prophylactic strategy for this patient population.
METHODS: A retrospective study analyzed medical records of 104 patients with Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas treated between November 2019 and December 2024. Patients received high-dose chemotherapy for induction of remission before auto-HSCT. The study cohort was divided into two groups based on the G-CSF used for primary FN prophylaxis: empegfilgrastim (n=74) and filgrastim (n=30). Outcomes assessed included the incidence of FN, duration of hospitalization, chemotherapy cycle delays, and pharmacoeconomic parameters. Total direct medical costs were calculated based on public prices and actual hospital data, summarizing the costs of prophylaxis and the treatment of FN episodes.
RESULTS: The use of empegfilgrastim significantly reduced the incidence of FN compared to filgrastim. FN episodes occurred in only 1% of chemotherapy cycles in the empegfilgrastim group versus 16% in the filgrastim group (p < 0.001), and FN affected 3%versus 23% of patients (p < 0.001). The average duration of hospitalization was shorter in the empegfilgrastim group (7.5 vs.12.6 days, p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was observed regarding delays in chemotherapy intervals. Pharmacoeconomics demonstrated that although empegfilgrastim drug costs were higher (USD 166,157 vs. USD 59,631 per 100 patients), total direct medical costs including FN treatment were lower for empegfilgrastim group (USD 173,800 vs USD 181,920), resulting in 5% cost reduction
CONCLUSIONS: Empegfilgrastim provides superior prevention of febrile neutropenia in lymphoma patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy compared to short-acting filgrastim. Despite higher prophylaxis costs, the use of empegfilgrastim reduces overall healthcare expenditure by preventing expensive FN treatment episodes. It represents a clinically effective and economically beneficial prophylactic strategy for this patient population.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-09, ISPOR Asia Pacific 2026, Bangkok, Thailand
Value in Health, Volume 55, Issue S1
Code
EE95
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Disease
SDC: Oncology