OBJECTIVES

: Currently, patients with persistent moderate-to-severe house dust mite (HDM) allergic rhinitis (AR) despite use of symptom-relieving medication can be offered subcutaneously administered allergy immunotherapy (HDM SCIT) or symptomatic therapy as standard care of treatment in Poland. HDM sublingually administered allergy immunotherapy tablet (SQ® HDM SLIT-tablet;) may be a technology better suited to the patient's preferences, due to the lack of frequent medical visits and better tolerance of treatment. The purpose of this analysis was to compare the costs related to treatment and administration of SQ® HDM SLIT-tablet with HDM SCIT in Poland.

METHODS

: A cost-minimization analysis (CMA) was performed assuming equal efficacy and safety between SQ® HDM SLIT-tablet and HDM SCIT. Relevant costs associated with treatments were assessed from public payer’s and common (public payer’s and patient’s) perspectives (medications, administration, transport to medical center). A five-year time horizon was adopted taking into the consideration recommended length of immunotherapy. One-way sensitivity analysis was performed to verify an impact of particular assumptions on the basic results. The following parameters were tested: different compliance, discount rates, percentage of patients on therapy, transport costs and societal perspective including cost of lost productivity.

RESULTS

: Results of the CMA indicated that SQ® HDM SLIT-tablet is cost-saving compared to HDM SCIT therapy: the cost per patient decreased by PLN 848 from public payer’s perspective and by PLN 1,240 from common perspective . The SQ® HDM SLIT-tablet remains less costly in all but two scenarios of the sensitivity analyses (length of HDM SCIT treatment limited to 3 years and maximum cost of transport (for common perspective only)).

CONCLUSIONS

: Treatment of the patients with HDM AR in Poland using SQ® HDM SLIT-tablet is the cheaper therapeutic option compared to currently used HDM SCIT, with a more convenient way of administration from a patients’ perspective.