Societal Value of Intravitreal Injections for Retinal Vascular Diseases in the National Reimbursement Drug List in China
Author(s)
Yijia Feng, PhD1, Luying Zhang, PhD2, Dennis Alexander Ostwald, PhD3, Malina Müller, BA, MA, PhD3, Yan XIA, MBA4, Haotian He, MBA4, Wen Chen, PhD2.
1Student, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 2School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 3WifOR Institute, Darmstadt, Germany, 4Shanghai Roche Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Shanghai, China.
1Student, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 2School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 3WifOR Institute, Darmstadt, Germany, 4Shanghai Roche Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Shanghai, China.
OBJECTIVES: Diabetic Macular Edema (DME), neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration (nAMD), and Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO) are leading retinal vascular diseases and major causes of blindness, imposing a heavy global and Chinese disease burden. Intravitreal injections, including anti-VEGF drugs and anti-VEGF/Ang-2 bispecific therapies have been proved highly effective in treating these diseases, generating great societal benefits. However, calculation of these drugs’ societal value remains unexplored.
METHODS: The societal value of 4 therapies for the diseases from 2024 to 2033 was estimated, which are currently included in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL), namely faricimab, aflibercept, ranibizumab, and conbercept. Methodology was derived from WifOR’s social impact framework based on both paid and unpaid work dimensions. Incremental QALY of each therapy was collected from the literature comparing to SoC. Gross value added, average hours of paid and unpaid work, and labor force size were acquired from China’s statistical yearbooks and official websites. An annual inflation rate of 5% and a discount rate of 3% were also set.
RESULTS: 4 therapies in NRDL are predicted to cover a total of 15,339,795 patients from 2024 to 2033, generating 308,229.47 QALYs with a societal value of $14.81 billion. Conbercept is estimated to reach the most patients (5,247,510, 34.21%), and faricimab is estimated to create the most QALYs (117,859.00, 38.24%), generating the highest societal value ($6.84 billion, 35.93%). Selected therapies cover the treatment of DME, nAMD, CRVO, and BRVO. The highest societal value is estimated to be generated in DME indication, with a value of $9.82 billion.
CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal injections demonstrate great societal value and significant improvement in quality of life for patients with retinal vascular diseases. Our findings further provide a new perspective for the NRDL to assess innovative drugs’ value, underscoring the importance of multiple dimensions in the assessment of the value of innovative medication.
METHODS: The societal value of 4 therapies for the diseases from 2024 to 2033 was estimated, which are currently included in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL), namely faricimab, aflibercept, ranibizumab, and conbercept. Methodology was derived from WifOR’s social impact framework based on both paid and unpaid work dimensions. Incremental QALY of each therapy was collected from the literature comparing to SoC. Gross value added, average hours of paid and unpaid work, and labor force size were acquired from China’s statistical yearbooks and official websites. An annual inflation rate of 5% and a discount rate of 3% were also set.
RESULTS: 4 therapies in NRDL are predicted to cover a total of 15,339,795 patients from 2024 to 2033, generating 308,229.47 QALYs with a societal value of $14.81 billion. Conbercept is estimated to reach the most patients (5,247,510, 34.21%), and faricimab is estimated to create the most QALYs (117,859.00, 38.24%), generating the highest societal value ($6.84 billion, 35.93%). Selected therapies cover the treatment of DME, nAMD, CRVO, and BRVO. The highest societal value is estimated to be generated in DME indication, with a value of $9.82 billion.
CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal injections demonstrate great societal value and significant improvement in quality of life for patients with retinal vascular diseases. Our findings further provide a new perspective for the NRDL to assess innovative drugs’ value, underscoring the importance of multiple dimensions in the assessment of the value of innovative medication.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
EE664
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Health Policy & Regulatory, Health Technology Assessment
Topic Subcategory
Novel & Social Elements of Value, Work & Home Productivity - Indirect Costs
Disease
Sensory System Disorders (Ear, Eye, Dental, Skin)