VIENNA, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Teva Respiratory, a division of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. , today announced results from an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of three different inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) in a “real-life” asthmatic population. The study found QVAR(R) (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA), an ICS that is able to effectively treat both large and small airway inflammation, to be on average more effective than CFC-beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) and fluticasone propionate (FP), and intermediary in cost between the two. This “real-life” study followed more than 4,000 asthma patients in the UK for 12 months, and data was presented at the European Respiratory Society’s Annual Congress in Vienna, Austria.
“ICSs are considered the most effective anti-inflammatory therapy for persistent asthma and are the preferred treatment for initiating maintenance therapy. However, the cost of ICS therapy can be quite high,” said David Price, GPAG professor of primary care medicine, University of Aberdeen’s Center of Academic Care and lead investigator of the study. “QVAR(R) was on average more cost-effective than fluticasone, and more effective than CFC-beclomethasone dipropionate, although CFC-beclomethasone dipropionate was lowest in cost.”
Teva offers QVAR(R) in the U.S., UK, France, several other European countries as well as Israel. In Germany QVAR(R) is sold under the brand name Ventolair(R) and in the Scandinavian countries QVAR(R) is sold under the brand name Aerobec(R).
A cost-effectiveness analysis, performed from a UK National Health Service perspective, compared total healthcare costs (THCC) for the year before the ICS use increase (baseline cost) with the year after (outcome cost). The analysis, after adjustments for age, sex, baseline asthma control status and baseline THCC, showed outcome cost increases for each treatment regimen, with FP costing pounds Sterling 33.00 (-pounds Sterling 2.53 to pounds Sterling 68.54) more than QVAR(R) and BDP costing pounds Sterling 22.51 (-pounds Sterling 43.96 to -pounds Sterling 1.06) less than QVAR(R). The mean outcome cost for QVAR(R), at pounds Sterling 547.94 was intermediate between that of FP (pounds Sterling 580.94) and of BDP (pounds Sterling 525.43). Asthma control rates were higher in the QVAR(R) group, making the odds ratio (OR) for successful asthma control lower for BDP-CFC (OR=0.85; 95% CI, 0.76-0.96) and for FP (OR=0.91; 95% CI, 0.75-1.10) as compared with QVAR(R).
About QVAR(R)
QVAR(R) (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA) Inhalation Aerosol is indicated in the maintenance treatment of asthma as prophylactic therapy in patients 5 years of age or older. QVAR(R) is also indicated for asthma patients who require systemic corticosteroid administration, where adding QVAR(R) may reduce or eliminate the need for systemic corticosteroids.
About Teva
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., headquartered in Israel, is among the top 20 pharmaceutical companies in the world and is the leading generic pharmaceutical company. The company develops, manufactures and markets generic and innovative pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Over 80 percent of Teva’s sales are in North America and Western Europe.
Teva Respiratory, a division of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.
