Abstract

Objectives

Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing for CYP2C19 genotypes offers a precision medicine approach to dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PGx testing is limited in Thailand because of policy constraints. This study evaluated the cost-utility and budget impact of PGx-guided dual antiplatelet therapy compared with universal clopidogrel in Thailand.

Methods

A hybrid decision tree and Markov model were developed to estimate lifetime costs and health outcomes for patients with post-PCI ACS from a societal perspective. The model compared universal clopidogrel with 2 PGx-guided strategies for CYP2C19 loss-of-function allele carriers. Key outcomes included life-years and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess model uncertainty. A 5-year budget impact analysis was performed from a payer perspective.

Results

Compared with universal clopidogrel, the PGx-guided ticagrelor strategy was dominant with lower costs and higher QALYs. The PGx-guided prasugrel strategy exceeded the willingness-to-pay threshold, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 247 604 Thai Baht (THB)/QALY. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses indicated a 99.9% probability that the ticagrelor strategy would be a cost-effective strategy at the Thai willingness-to-pay threshold. The 5-year budget impact analysis, assuming 100% access to PGx testing, estimated a budget saving of 240.54 million THB for ticagrelor. In contrast, prasugrel was associated with an additional requirement of 1520.89 million THB.

Conclusions

In Thailand’s healthcare setting, PGx-guided ticagrelor is a dominant strategy for patients with post-PCI ACS. These findings support revising the National List of Essential Medicines to incorporate genotype-guided prescribing and enable broader access to precision medicine.