OBJECTIVES : Lanreotide autogel and octreotide LAR are two long-acting somatostatin analogues (LA-SSAs) approved for the treatment of acromegaly and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP NET). However, the treatments differ in terms of injection route, the need for injection by a health care professional, and the dosing interval.

The objective of this study was to assess the budget impact of LA-SSAs in the treatment of acromegaly and GEP NET, considering attributes related to the drug delivery of LA-SSAs in the UK.

METHODS : A decision tree was developed considering the following delivery attributes of lanreotide and octreotide: administration time for nurses (2.5 min and 6.2 min, respectively); risk of needle clogging (0% and 2.6%, respectively); administration schedule (percent of patients treated every 3 weeks, 4 weeks, or with an extended dose interval) and proportion of patients who self-administer (10% vs. 0%, respectively). Model inputs (including drug acquisition and administration costs) were based on publicly available sources.

The analysis compared the current situation (56.3% market share for lanreotide) and a hypothetical situation (80.0% market share for lanreotide) from three perspectives: the National Health Service (NHS), a regional clinical commissioning group (CCG), and a local institution (hospital).

RESULTS : Increasing the use of lanreotide to 80% would reduce overall LA-SSA patient treatment expenses by £2.9 million annually in the UK (a reduction of 3.6% from the current budget estimate of £80.6 million). Savings were mainly driven by drug acquisition costs (£43,585 annually, per 100 patients). From a CCG perspective per 100 patients followed, £4,509 could be saved in administration costs, and 38 nurse visits could be avoided annually. From the hospital perspective per 100 patients followed, 7.8 hours a year of nurse time could be saved.

CONCLUSIONS : Increasing the use of lanreotide could lead to substantial savings, benefiting the overall healthcare system and improving efficiency.