The cost-effectiveness of ustekinumab for moderate-to-severe psoriasis.
Given its chronicity and impact on quality of life, psoriasis is a costly disease. As new and better treatments are developed, the cost of treating psoriasis has risen. In this drug profile, the authors discuss ustekinumab, its pharmacokinetics, safety profile, and direct and indirect costs to determine its cost-efficacy. The authors searched PubMed with specific search phrases for clinical trials investigating this issue over 5 years. Eleven articles analyzed cost-effectiveness of ustekinumab, and the references of these articles were included. Studies limited to 12 weeks reported that ustekinumab may not be cost-effective as it has high cost per injection and is costly when loading doses are required. Studies that went beyond 12 weeks documented that, with ustekinumab's infrequent dosing, it is cost-effective during the maintenance period.
a Department of Osteopathic and Neuromuscular Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific , Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona , CA , USA.
Nicole C
NC
Rouse
b Center for Dermatology Research, Department of Dermatology , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA.
Michael E
ME
Farhangian
b Center for Dermatology Research, Department of Dermatology , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA.
Brooke
B
Wehausen
b Center for Dermatology Research, Department of Dermatology , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA.|c Department of Pathology , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA.|d Department of Public Health Sciences , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , NC , USA.
Steven R
SR
Feldman
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D016527:Drug Costs; D006801:Humans; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000069549:Ustekinumab / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D000069549:Ustekinumab
Stelara; biologics; direct; expense; indirect; money; therapeutics