Cost-effectiveness analysis of maternal vaccination against Group B streptococcus in Japan

BACKGROUND: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading pathogen causing life-threatening bacterial infections in neonates (early- or late-onset) and infants, and is associated with preterm and stillbirth. Japan introduced national guidelines to reduce early-onset neonatal GBS disease, with universal prenatal screening and intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis (IAP). However, screening/IAP does not prevent GBS associated late-onset disease, preterm or stillbirth. Maternal GBS vaccines in development are targeted at infant GBS disease but may provide benefit across perinatal outcomes. We aimed to assess cost-effectiveness of a future maternal GBS vaccine, for a base case prevention of infant GBS disease in combination with screening/IAP compared to screening/IAP alone. METHODS: We used a decision tree model to estimate cases of infant GBS disease, deaths, and neuro-developmental impairment (NDI), GBS-related stillbirths, and the associated costs and loss in Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). We calculate the threshold price at which a vaccine would be cost-effective assuming a cost-effectiveness threshold of ¥5 million/QALY. We explored the potential benefit of a maternal GBS vaccine that also prevents preterm birth in a scenario analysis. RESULTS: Maternal GBS vaccination in Japan could prevent an additional 142 infant GBS cases annually, including 5 deaths and 21 cases of NDI, and 13 stillbirths compared to screening/IAP alone. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was ¥3.78 million/QALY with a vaccine cost of ¥5,000/dose. If the QALY lost for stillbirth is included, the ICER is reduced to ¥1.78 million/QALY. Median threshold vaccine price was ¥6,900 per dose (95 % uncertainty interval ¥5,100 to ¥9,200 per dose). If maternal GBS vaccination also prevented half of GBS-associated preterm, the ICER would be reduced to ¥1.88 million/QALY. CONCLUSIONS: An effective maternal GBS vaccine is likely to be considered cost-effective in Japan at a price of ¥5,000/dose. Effectiveness against other adverse perinatal outcomes would increase health benefits and cost-effectiveness.