Annual pharmacy cost per patient achieving composite treatment endpoints: a cost to target analysis of tirzepatide versus subcutaneous semaglutide 1 mg in patients with type 2 diabetes in the UK.

Abstract

Introduction: Tirzepatide is a treatment for type 2 diabetes associated with improvements in glycemic control and weight loss, and a low risk of hypoglycemia when not used in combination with insulin or insulin secretagogues. A cost to target analysis of tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg versus subcutaneous semaglutide 1 mg in the UK setting was performed, calculating the annual pharmacy cost per patient treated to six composite endpoints combining glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] ≤ 6.5% [48 mmol/mol] and <7.0% [53 mmol/mol]) with weight loss (≥5%, ≥10%, ≥15%) and avoidance of hypoglycemia. The costing analysis was based on the tirzepatide costs appraised by NICE as part of TA924.

Methods: The proportions of patients achieving composite treatment targets with tirzepatide and semaglutide (both in combination with metformin) were taken from a post-hoc analysis of the SURPASS-2 clinical trial (N = 1,845). Costs per patient treated to target were calculated by dividing the annual treatment costs associated with each intervention by the proportion of patients achieving the treatment target with each intervention.

Results: Tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg were associated with a lower pharmacy cost per patient achieving treatment target than semaglutide 1 mg for the majority of endpoints evaluated. Differences became greater at more strict treatment targets. For example, the cost per patient achieving HbA1c ≤6.5%, weight loss ≥15%, and no hypoglycemia was GBP 5,650, GBP 8,665 and GBP 9,462 lower with tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg, respectively, compared with semaglutide 1 mg over a 1-year time horizon. The only endpoint where semaglutide 1 mg was associated with a lower cost per patient achieving target was HbA1c <7.0%, weight loss ≥5%, and no hypoglycemia.

Conclusions: Compared to semaglutide, tirzepatide was associated with a lower annual pharmacy cost per patient with diabetes achieving treatment target in the UK for the majority of endpoints, with greater differences at more strict treatment targets.