OBJECTIVES: In diabetes treatment, type 2 sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT2) inhibitors have emerged as a substantial advancement in terms of effectiveness and cost-efficiency. In order to introduce Dapagliflozin (Valens®) into the Algerian market, a cost-saving evaluation was conducted to evaluate the clinical outcomes and financial implications of using Dapagliflozin after the primary failure of oral antidiabetics for treating patients with type 2 diabetes(T2DM).

METHODS: This study aimed to assess the clinical outcomes and financial impact associated with the use of dapagliflozin for managing patients with T2DM who experienced primary failure with metformin. A comparative analysis was conducted between patients using either dapagliflozin or hypoglycemic sulphonamides in combination with metformin. The evaluation criteria included the risk of severe hypoglycemia linked to sulphonamides and the cardiovascular and renal complications of the two treatment approaches.

RESULTS: The result demonstrated the non-inferiority of dapagliflozin in combination with metformin compared to sulphonamides in terms of glycemic control. The addition of dapagliflozin to metformin resulted in significant weight loss and reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as enhancement in the quality of life for patients with T2DM. In terms of financial impact, the introduction of dapagliflozin generated an annual cost saving of 56 138 531 $ associated with severe hypoglycemic events observed with sulphonamides, as well as 2 042 182 $ for cardiovascular and renal complications.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of dapagliflozin for treating T2DM in Algeria provides comparable glycemic control to sulphonamides while avoiding hypoglycemic events, cardiovascular, renal complications, and weight gain. These results could serve as a guiding reference for healthcare decision-makers when considering the inclusion of dapagliflozin in T2DM treatment strategies in Algeria, as well as for decisions pertaining to the financial coverage and potential reimbursement, knowing the clinical and economic advantage demonstrated by this study.