A Budget Impact Analysis of the Introduction of Copanlisib for Treatment of Relapsed Follicular Lymphoma in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Copanlisib was recently granted accelerated approval by the FDA for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma (FL) after 2 previous systemic therapies. It is important to assess the effect that this and other changes in the treatment landscape of relapsed FL have on a payer's budget to inform formulary decisions.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the budget impact associated with the addition of copanlisib to a formulary as third- or higher-line treatment for adult patients with relapsed FL who have received at least 2 previous systemic therapies, from the perspective of a U.S. third-party payer.

METHODS: A budget impact model was developed over a 1-year horizon. The model considered a hypothetical population of 1 million people enrolled in a commercial health plan; patients with relapsed FL were identified based on epidemiology data. Treatments included copanlisib and approved and off-label therapies used for management of relapsed FL. Treatment distributions within the target population were based on a market research survey. Drug acquisition, administration, prophylaxis, and monitoring costs were based on prescribing information, clinical trials, literature, and expert opinion. All costs were inflated to 2017 U.S. dollars. Total costs were compared between 2 scenarios, 1 without and 1 with copanlisib on a formulary. A deterministic sensitivity analysis (DSA) was conducted to evaluate the robustness of the model.

RESULTS: Within the 1 million-member health care plan, 18 patients had relapsed FL and had received at least 2 previous systemic therapies. Over 1 year, the addition of copanlisib and an increase in the use of obinutuzumab + bendamustine (from 9.0% without copanlisib to 13.1% with copanlisib) and lenalidomide + rituximab (from 0.3% to 12.0%) were estimated to increase drug acquisition costs by $238,536, drug administration and prophylaxis costs by $3,565, and monitoring costs by $539. The increase in total budget was $242,641, corresponding to $0.02 per member per month; 21.8% of this increase was attributable to copanlisib, 12.9% to obinutuzumab + bendamustine, and 65.3% to lenalidomide + rituximab. Results were generally robust in the DSA.

CONCLUSIONS: Over a 1-year period, the model found that the addition of copanlisib to a formulary resulted in a small increase in total budget of $242,641, corresponding to $0.02 per patient per month and taking into account a concurrent increase in the use of obinutuzumab + bendamustine and lenalidomide + rituximab. Therefore, adding copanlisib to a formulary appears to be an affordable option for payers. Further studies should be conducted to more comprehensively assess the clinical and economic implications of adding copanlisib to the treatment armamentarium of relapsed FL.

DISCLOSURES: This study was funded by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. The study sponsor was involved in study design, data interpretation. and data review. All authors contributed to the development of the manuscript and maintained control over the final content. Appukkuttan, Yaldo, Gharibo, and Babajanyan report employment with Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals at the time of this study. Duchesneau, Zichlin, Bhak, and Duh report employment with Analysis Group, which received research funds from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals for work on this study. A synopsis of the current research was presented in poster format at the AMCP Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting; April 23-26, 2018; Boston, MA.