Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 21, 2026
Author Spotlight: Enhancing Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Through HR-pQCT Imaging Analysis
Published on: October 6, 2023
Modeled Health Economic Impact of a Hypothetical Certolizumab Pegol Risk-Sharing Scheme for Patients with
Erkki Soini1, Christian Asseburg2, Maarit Taiha3
1ESiOR Oy, Kuopio, Finland. erkki.soini@esior.fi.
Insights
Certolizumab pegol (CZP) offers a cost-effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Finland. A risk-sharing scheme for CZP could reduce expenditures and increase patient access to RA therapies.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Rheumatology
- Health Technology Assessment
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management requires effective and cost-efficient biologic therapies.
- Evaluating new treatments against existing options is crucial for healthcare systems.
- Finland's healthcare context necessitates budget impact and cost-effectiveness analyses for RA treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of certolizumab pegol (CZP) for moderate-to-severe RA in Finland.
- To compare CZP, with and without a risk-sharing scheme, against the current mix of reimbursed biologics.
- To assess the impact on American College of Rheumatology (ACR) outcomes and patient quality of life.
Main Methods:
- A probabilistic model with 12-week cycles and a societal perspective was employed for 2015-2019.
- ACR response rates (ACR20, ACR50, ACR70), mortality, and treatment persistence were incorporated.
- Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated using the Health Utilities Index; a risk-sharing scheme was modeled with a 12-week ACR20 response threshold.
Main Results:
- CZP with a risk-sharing scheme demonstrated an estimated annual net expenditure decrease of 1.7% to 5.6% in Finland from 2015-2019.
- Per patient, CZP risk sharing reduced time without ACR response by 5%, decreased work absenteeism by 24 days, and increased QALYs by 0.03.
- The modeled risk-sharing scheme resulted in cost savings of €7866 per patient with >95% probability of cost-effectiveness.
Conclusions:
- Certolizumab pegol (CZP) is a cost-effective treatment option for RA patients in Finland, irrespective of a risk-sharing scheme.
- A risk-sharing scheme for CZP could potentially fund treatment for an additional 6% of Finnish RA patients.
- The findings support the integration of CZP into RA treatment protocols, highlighting the financial benefits of risk-sharing models.
Purpose:
To model the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of certolizumab pegol (CZP) (with and without a hypothetical risk-sharing scheme at treatment initiation for biologic-naïve patients) versus the current mix of reimbursed biologics for treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Finland.
Methods:
A probabilistic model with 12-week cycles and a societal approach was developed for the years 2015-2019, accounting for differences in ACR responses (meta-analysis), mortality, and persistence. The risk-sharing scheme included a treatment switch and refund of the costs associated with CZP acquisition if patients failed to achieve ACR20 response at week 12. For the current treatment mix, ACR20 at week 24 determined treatment continuation. Quality-adjusted life years were derived on the basis of the Health Utilities Index.
Results:
In the Finnish target population, CZP treatment with a risk-sharing scheme led to a estimated annual net expenditure decrease ranging from 1.7% in 2015 to 5.6% in 2019 compared with the current treatment mix. Per patient over the 5 years, CZP risk sharing was estimated to decrease the time without ACR response by 5%-units, decrease work absenteeism by 24 days, and increase the time with ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 responses by 5%-, 6%-, and 1%-units, respectively, with a gain of 0.03 quality-adjusted life years. The modeled risk-sharing scheme showed reduced costs of €7866 per patient, with a more than 95% probability of cost-effectiveness when compared with the current treatment mix.
Conclusion:
The present analysis estimated that CZP, with or without the risk-sharing scheme, is a cost-effective alternative treatment for RA patients in Finland. The surplus provided by the CZP risk-sharing scheme could fund treatment for 6% more Finnish RA patients.
Funding:
UCB Pharma.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
01:24Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Biologic Agents: Anti-TNF
01:21Rheumatic Heart Disease III: Medical Management
01:28Drug Products: Biologics, Biosimilars and Interchangeables
01:15Impact of Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Models: Regulatory Decisions