PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF NUVAXOVIDVSMRNA COVID-19 VACCINES IN ADULTS AGED =65 YEARS IN FRANCE
Author(s)
Fabian P. Alvarez, PhD1, Benjamin Bachelard, PharD2, Pamela Roukoz, MSc3, Hélène Cawston4, Maria Vitoria Cade Alves, MSc3, Khalil Laouani, MSc3, Laurence Allard, PharD2, Vincent Petit, PharmD2, Anne-Lise VATAIRE, PhD5.
1sanofi, Lyon, France, 2Sanofi, Lyon, France, 3Amaris, Paris, France, 4Paris, France, 5Head HEOR, Sanofi, Gentilly, France.
1sanofi, Lyon, France, 2Sanofi, Lyon, France, 3Amaris, Paris, France, 4Paris, France, 5Head HEOR, Sanofi, Gentilly, France.
OBJECTIVES: In France, annual autumn COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all adults aged ≥65 years, with no distinction between mRNA and non‑mRNA vaccines. This study aims to assess the public health impact and cost‑effectiveness of Nuvaxovid relative to mRNA COVID‑19 vaccines in adults aged ≥65 years.
METHODS: A static Markov model was developed with five health states: susceptible, acute infection, long COVID, recovery, and death. Three severity levels were considered for acute infection: non-hospitalized, hospitalized, and intensive care unit admission. The model simulates weekly cycles over a 1-year time horizon, starting with vaccination in October. Transition probabilities, vaccine effectiveness and waning, adverse event (AE) rates, and disutilities were derived from published literature, while COVID-19 incidence and vaccine coverage rate (VCR) were obtained from Santé Publique France. The analysis adopted a French healthcare system perspective. Costs encompassed vaccine acquisition and administration, disease management, hospitalization, and AEs. Vaccine prices were assumed equal while effectiveness was considered similar based on available evidence.
RESULTS: Under French settings, with VCR=23.8%, Nuvaxovid prevented 10,719 annual cases compared with no vaccination, resulting in fewer COVID-19-related hospitalizations (9.1%), deaths (9.3%), and long COVID cases (8.6%). Compared with mRNA vaccines, Nuvaxovid was associated with 61.0% fewer vaccine-related AEs (1.6% vs 6.8% for local reactions, and 6.8% vs 20.4% for systemic reactions), resulting in annual cost savings of €12.3 million and 494 additional QALYs gained. Nuvaxovid was a dominant strategy, due to greater health outcomes resulting in lower management costs. The sensitivity analysis showed that most influential model parameters were hospitalization without ICU admission and COVID-19 mortality.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the use of COVID-19 vaccination among older adults in France and promote the increase of VCR to reduce disease burden. Under the model assumptions, Nuvaxovid was a preferable alternative to mRNA vaccines, driven by lower rates of vaccine-related AEs.
METHODS: A static Markov model was developed with five health states: susceptible, acute infection, long COVID, recovery, and death. Three severity levels were considered for acute infection: non-hospitalized, hospitalized, and intensive care unit admission. The model simulates weekly cycles over a 1-year time horizon, starting with vaccination in October. Transition probabilities, vaccine effectiveness and waning, adverse event (AE) rates, and disutilities were derived from published literature, while COVID-19 incidence and vaccine coverage rate (VCR) were obtained from Santé Publique France. The analysis adopted a French healthcare system perspective. Costs encompassed vaccine acquisition and administration, disease management, hospitalization, and AEs. Vaccine prices were assumed equal while effectiveness was considered similar based on available evidence.
RESULTS: Under French settings, with VCR=23.8%, Nuvaxovid prevented 10,719 annual cases compared with no vaccination, resulting in fewer COVID-19-related hospitalizations (9.1%), deaths (9.3%), and long COVID cases (8.6%). Compared with mRNA vaccines, Nuvaxovid was associated with 61.0% fewer vaccine-related AEs (1.6% vs 6.8% for local reactions, and 6.8% vs 20.4% for systemic reactions), resulting in annual cost savings of €12.3 million and 494 additional QALYs gained. Nuvaxovid was a dominant strategy, due to greater health outcomes resulting in lower management costs. The sensitivity analysis showed that most influential model parameters were hospitalization without ICU admission and COVID-19 mortality.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the use of COVID-19 vaccination among older adults in France and promote the increase of VCR to reduce disease burden. Under the model assumptions, Nuvaxovid was a preferable alternative to mRNA vaccines, driven by lower rates of vaccine-related AEs.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EE749
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Disease
Vaccines