EN
Based on the pivotal trial showing no clinicallyrelevant
differences between pegylated interferon α-2b
(Peg-α-2b) and α-2a (Peg-α-2a) combined with ribavirin
for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype
1 infection in Ukraine, a cost-minimization analysis was
performed using a 1 year time horizon and both a health
care and patients’ perspective. A decision tree reflects
treatment pathways. Drug costs were based on drug labeling
and adjusted to the average body mass in Ukraine.
Subgroup analysis was applied to deal with heterogeneity
of patient’s weight causing dose changes. A break-even
price of Peg-α-2a and Peg-α-2b (based on the average dose)
was calculated. Univariate sensitivity analyses and probabilistic
sensitivity analysis were carried out to reflect
decision uncertainty. For an average body weight, total
medical costs per patient differ from US$9220 for Peg-α-2b
to US$9513 for Peg-α-2a from a health care perspective, and
from US$15,212 to US$15,696 from a patients’ perspective. Sensitivity analyses show these results are robust. With
average body weight, the break-even price of Peg-α-2b may
be 7.3% higher than Peg-α-2a to have similar total costs.