Cost per Responder Analysis of Bimekizumab, a Monoclonal IgG1 Antibody Which Selectively Inhibits Il17f in Addition to Il17a Against Il17a Inhibitors in the Treatment of Axial Spondyloarthritis in Finland
Author(s)
Lauri Veijalainen, MSc1, Petri Juhani Kristian Elo, PhD1, Fredrik Borgström, PhD2, Adam Ferguson, MSc2, Michael Frank Mørup, MSc3.
1UCB Pharma Oy Finland, Espoo, Finland, 2Quantify Research, Stockholm, Sweden, 3UCB Pharma, Copenhagen, Denmark.
1UCB Pharma Oy Finland, Espoo, Finland, 2Quantify Research, Stockholm, Sweden, 3UCB Pharma, Copenhagen, Denmark.
OBJECTIVES: This analysis assesses the cost-per-responder at Week 16 of bimekizumab, a monoclonal IgG1 antibody which selectively inhibits interleukin (IL)-17F in addition to IL-17A, against approved IL-17A inhibitors for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in Finland.
METHODS: A cost-per-responder model was developed to include patients with non-radiographic (nr-) and radiographic (r-) axSpA with no prior exposure to biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (biologic-naïve). Treatments included were bimekizumab 160mg-Q4W, ixekizumab 80mg-Q4W and secukinumab 150mg-Q4W. Efficacy outcomes assessed were Assessment in SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) 40/Partial Remission (PR), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) 50, and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) Low Disease Activity (<2.1). Drug acquisition costs (pharmacy retail prices including VAT) obtained from Kela’s pricing database (April 2025) were used to calculate total cost-per-patient over 16 weeks. Response rates were based on bimekizumab BE MOBILE 1&2 trials and published network meta-analyses to calculate the number-needed-to-treat for each outcome, multiplied by cost-per-patient for each intervention to obtain the cost-per-responder.
RESULTS: All results presented are for biologic-naïve patients. In nr-axSpA patients, for ASAS40, bimekizumab had the lowest cost-per-responder (9.222€), followed by ixekizumab (13.602€) and secukinumab (14.713€). In r-axSpA patients, for ASAS40, bimekizumab also had the lowest cost-per-responder (9.222€), then secukinumab (10.407€) and ixekizumab (10.579€). In nr-axSpA patients, for BASDAI50, bimekizumab had the lowest cost-per-responder (9.017€), followed by ixekizumab (11.611€) and secukinumab (11.852€). In r-axSpA patients, for BASDAI50, bimekizumab again had the lowest cost-per-responder (9.897€), then ixekizumab (10.579€) and secukinumab (13.334€). Bimekizumab had the lowest cost-per-responder in both nr- and r-axSpA patient groups for each of ASAS-PR and ASDAS <2.1.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on published network meta-analysis response rates and drug acquisition costs, bimekizumab demonstrated the lowest cost-per-responder outcome at Week 16 across the axSpA disease spectrum (nr-axSpA and r-axSpA) compared with approved IL-17A inhibitors in Finland, suggesting bimekizumab could be considered a preferred IL-inhibitor for treatment of axSpA.
METHODS: A cost-per-responder model was developed to include patients with non-radiographic (nr-) and radiographic (r-) axSpA with no prior exposure to biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (biologic-naïve). Treatments included were bimekizumab 160mg-Q4W, ixekizumab 80mg-Q4W and secukinumab 150mg-Q4W. Efficacy outcomes assessed were Assessment in SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) 40/Partial Remission (PR), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) 50, and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) Low Disease Activity (<2.1). Drug acquisition costs (pharmacy retail prices including VAT) obtained from Kela’s pricing database (April 2025) were used to calculate total cost-per-patient over 16 weeks. Response rates were based on bimekizumab BE MOBILE 1&2 trials and published network meta-analyses to calculate the number-needed-to-treat for each outcome, multiplied by cost-per-patient for each intervention to obtain the cost-per-responder.
RESULTS: All results presented are for biologic-naïve patients. In nr-axSpA patients, for ASAS40, bimekizumab had the lowest cost-per-responder (9.222€), followed by ixekizumab (13.602€) and secukinumab (14.713€). In r-axSpA patients, for ASAS40, bimekizumab also had the lowest cost-per-responder (9.222€), then secukinumab (10.407€) and ixekizumab (10.579€). In nr-axSpA patients, for BASDAI50, bimekizumab had the lowest cost-per-responder (9.017€), followed by ixekizumab (11.611€) and secukinumab (11.852€). In r-axSpA patients, for BASDAI50, bimekizumab again had the lowest cost-per-responder (9.897€), then ixekizumab (10.579€) and secukinumab (13.334€). Bimekizumab had the lowest cost-per-responder in both nr- and r-axSpA patient groups for each of ASAS-PR and ASDAS <2.1.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on published network meta-analysis response rates and drug acquisition costs, bimekizumab demonstrated the lowest cost-per-responder outcome at Week 16 across the axSpA disease spectrum (nr-axSpA and r-axSpA) compared with approved IL-17A inhibitors in Finland, suggesting bimekizumab could be considered a preferred IL-inhibitor for treatment of axSpA.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
EE183
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Disease
Biologics & Biosimilars, Musculoskeletal Disorders (Arthritis, Bone Disorders, Osteoporosis, Other Musculoskeletal)