ECONOMIC-ANALYSIS OF NEORAL IN DE-NOVO RENAL-TRANSPLANT PATIENTS IN CANADA

This pilot economic evaluation was performed as part of the Canadian a rm of an international randomized, controlled, double-blind safety and tolerability trial (OLM-105 / NOF-2). The clinical study compared the safety and tolerability of a new microemulsion oral formulation of cy closporine A (Neoral(R)) with the oral cyclosporine. A preparation cur rently in use (Sandimmune SGC(R))/(SGC). To assess the economic impact of Neoral in newly grafted renal transplant patients, primary cost da ta were collected at the five participating Canadian centers and evalu ated from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and hospital perspectives. The results of this cost analysis are presented in this paper. Since the n ew formulation has shown more consistent absorption and a more predict able pharmacokinetic profile, medical resource utilization and, conseq uently, cost of treatment could be expected to be lower for those rena l transplant recipients treated with Neoral than for those receiving s tandard SGC. The findings of this study support this hypothesis. Robus tness of the conclusion was confirmed with sensitivity analyses. Reduc ed health care costs for patients treated with Neoral were primarily a result of fewer hospitalization days and lower physician costs for in patient and outpatient procedures.