Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs in Individuals Who Discontinue Liraglutide and Who Switch from Liraglutide to Once-Weekly Injectable Semaglutide
Author(s)
Xi Tan, PharmD, PhD1, Brenna L. Brady, PhD2, Lin Xie, MA, MS1, Yurek Paprocki, MD, MBA1;
1Novo Nordisk Inc., Plainsboro, NJ, USA, 2Merative, Cambridge, MA, USA
1Novo Nordisk Inc., Plainsboro, NJ, USA, 2Merative, Cambridge, MA, USA
Presentation Documents
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs in the United States for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who discontinue the injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) once-daily liraglutide for T2D (with no other glucose-lowering agent added) or switch from liraglutide to the GLP-1 RA once weekly (OW) semaglutide for T2D.
METHODS: In this observational cohort study, we utilized claims data (MerativeTM MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare Database; January 1, 2017-March 31, 2021) to compare HCRU and cost outcomes between individuals who discontinued liraglutide (“discontinuers”) and those who switched from liraglutide to semaglutide (“switchers”). Patients were indexed between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2020. The index date for discontinuers was the last day of liraglutide supply; for switchers, it was the date of the first prescription fill for semaglutide occurring within 90 days before or after liraglutide discontinuation. Outcomes (reported annually and quarterly) were compared between the discontinuer and switcher cohorts over the 360-day post-index period using stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting.
RESULTS: The characteristics of the two cohorts were well balanced after weighting. Switchers had significantly lower HCRU in inpatient and emergency department (ED) settings compared with discontinuers. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) total medical costs were significantly lower for switchers ($8,513 [$18,931]) than for discontinuers ($13,585 [$52,011], P<0.001), driven by reduced inpatient costs (2.6-times lower) and ED costs (1.6-times lower). Medical costs were significantly higher for discontinuers compared with switchers in all four quarters of the post-index period.
CONCLUSIONS: This analysis demonstrates that the cohort of people switching from liraglutide to semaglutide was associated with significantly lower HCRU and costs when compared with people discontinuing liraglutide only. These findings imply that switching to semaglutide could be a good option for people with T2D for whom liraglutide is no longer optimal.
METHODS: In this observational cohort study, we utilized claims data (MerativeTM MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare Database; January 1, 2017-March 31, 2021) to compare HCRU and cost outcomes between individuals who discontinued liraglutide (“discontinuers”) and those who switched from liraglutide to semaglutide (“switchers”). Patients were indexed between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2020. The index date for discontinuers was the last day of liraglutide supply; for switchers, it was the date of the first prescription fill for semaglutide occurring within 90 days before or after liraglutide discontinuation. Outcomes (reported annually and quarterly) were compared between the discontinuer and switcher cohorts over the 360-day post-index period using stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting.
RESULTS: The characteristics of the two cohorts were well balanced after weighting. Switchers had significantly lower HCRU in inpatient and emergency department (ED) settings compared with discontinuers. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) total medical costs were significantly lower for switchers ($8,513 [$18,931]) than for discontinuers ($13,585 [$52,011], P<0.001), driven by reduced inpatient costs (2.6-times lower) and ED costs (1.6-times lower). Medical costs were significantly higher for discontinuers compared with switchers in all four quarters of the post-index period.
CONCLUSIONS: This analysis demonstrates that the cohort of people switching from liraglutide to semaglutide was associated with significantly lower HCRU and costs when compared with people discontinuing liraglutide only. These findings imply that switching to semaglutide could be a good option for people with T2D for whom liraglutide is no longer optimal.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-05, ISPOR 2025, Montréal, Quebec, CA
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S1
Code
EE100
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
SDC: Diabetes/Endocrine/Metabolic Disorders (including obesity)