Lundbeck - Perform a cost-utility analysis and a budget impact analysis for the reimbursement submission of a new drug for the treatment of alcohol dependence in Belgium.

Lundbeck is a global pharmaceutical company highly committed to improving the quality of life for people suffering from brain diseases. For this purpose, Lundbeck is engaged in the research, development, production, marketing and sale of pharmaceuticals across the world. The company’s products are targeted at diseases such as depression and anxiety, psychotic disorders, epilepsy and Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. 

Project description

The aim of the project was to support Lundbeck with the reimbursement submission for Selincro® (nalmefene), a new and innovative medicine to decrease the alcohol consumption of adult alcohol-dependent patients.

In a preliminary phase hict was responsible to support Lundbeck to define the correct and most optimal strategy and approach in the reimbursement submission (correct comparator, most appropriate health economic analysis, etc.)

In a second phase hict was responsible for:

• Development of a new budget impact model for Belgium;
• Collection of Belgian data to populate the models;
• Population of the models with the collected data;
• Writing the reports that describe the cost-utility analysis and budget impact analysis, with inclusion of the results.

Approach

Based on desk research, literature search (economic and clinical literature), in-depth analysis of existing cost-utility model and preliminary interviews with key opinion leaders, the most appropriate approach and strategy for the health economics section of the reimbursement dossier of Selincro® was defined in cooperation with Lundbeck.

In a subsequent phase, based on interviews with selected key opinion leaders, a survey was drafted to ascertain the current pathway for treatment of alcohol dependent patients in Belgium, the disease prevalence and resources used for its treatment. This survey was used as the basis of a consensus meeting, moderated by hict, establishing the clinical practice in Belgium and estimating the prevalence of the specific patient population for Selincro®. All consensus statements achieved during this meeting were described in a formal consensus statement report, approved by participating experts.

Additionally, data was captured from existing literature and databases (e.g. ‘Minimale Klinische Gegevens’ database, MDB and DMDB databases of WHO).  

For the health economics analysis an existing cost-utility model was populated with Belgian Data with inputs from literature and database searches and inputs obtained from the expert consensus panel. A new budget impact model was developed and populated with collected inputs.

Finally, the models and corresponding results were detailed in extensive reports.

Results:

• Survey on the current Belgian clinical practice and prevalence of the patient population for Selincro®;
• Consensus meeting moderated by hict, including formal and validated consensus statement;
• Data analyses of MKG, MDB and DMDB databases;
• Cost-utility model populated with collected data (including one-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis);
• Budget impact model populated with collected data (including one-way sensitivity analysis);
• Detailed report on the models and their final results.