Economic Evaluation of Boceprevir for the Treatment of Patients with Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Hungary

Abstract

**Background:** Recent international, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials (SPRINT-2; RESPOND-2) demonstrated that the triple combination of peginterferon (PEG), ribavirin (RBV) and boceprevir (BOC) was more efficacious than the standard dual therapy of PEG and RBV in treatment of patients chronically infected with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of triple therapy in both treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients in Hungary. **Methods:** A Markov model was developed to evaluate the long-term clinical benefits and the costeffectiveness of the triple therapy from the Hungarian payer perspective. Model states were fibrosis (F0–F4, defined using METAVIR fibrosis scores), decompensated cirrhosis (DC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver transplantation (LT), and liver-related deaths (LD). Efficacy was estimated from SPRINT-2 and RESPOND-2 studies. Disease progression rates and health state utilities used in the model were obtained from published studies. Estimates of probability of liver transplantation and cost were based on an analysis of the Hungarian Sick Fund database. All cost and benefits were discounted at 5% per year. **Results:** Compared to dual therapy, triple therapy was projected to increase the life expectancy by 0.98 and 2.42 life years and increase the quality-adjusted life years (QALY) by 0.59 and 1.13 in treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients, respectively. The corresponding incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were HUF7,747,962 (€26,717) and HUF5,888,240 (€20,304) per QALY. The lifetime incidence of severe liver disease events (DC, HCC, LT, LD) were projected to decrease by 45% and 61% in treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients treated with triple therapy groups in comparison with PEG-RBV treatment. **Conclusion:** The addition of boceprevir to standard therapy for the treatment of patients with genotype 1 chronic HCV infection in Hungary is projected to be cost-effective using a commonly used willingness to pay threshold of HUF 8.46 million (3 times gross domestic product per capita).