The Cost of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients Who Develop Neutralizing Antibodies during Interferon Beta Therapy

BACKGROUND: Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) patients treated with interferon beta (IFN beta) can develop neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) that reduce treatment efficacy. Several clinical studies explored the association of NAb+ status with increased disease activity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the cost of RRMS patients who develop NAbs while treated with IFN beta by the Italian National Healthcare Service (NHS) and the Italian Society perspectives. METHODS: The clinical data derived from a published observational study on 567 RRMS Italian patients treated with IFN beta. The management cost data derived from the published literature. Cost data were inflated to Euro 2014. RESULTS: The annual direct cost to treat a patient was estimated in €15,428 in the NAb+ cohort and €14,317 in the NAb- cohort. The annual societal cost was estimated in €33,890 and €30,790 in NAb+ and NAb- patients, respectively. The cost increase related to the NAb+ status was €3,100 in the Italian societal perspective and €1,111 in the Italian NHS perspective. CONCLUSION: The results of this economic evaluation suggest the presence of an association between NAb+ status and increased costs for the management of RRMS in Italy. Further pharmacoeconomic research will be needed to confirm this first result.