CER Daily Newsfeed

Tirzepatide More Cost-Effective Than Semaglutide for Obesity and Knee Osteoarthritis

(9/15, Sabrina McCrear, The American Journal of Managed Care) reports “...Tirzepatide demonstrated superior cost-effectiveness compared to semaglutide for knee OA and obesity, with a $57,400 per QALY threshold...The Osteoarthritis Policy (OAPol) Model was used to assess the cost-effectiveness of semaglutide, tirzepatide, and other common weight loss interventions in patients with obesity and knee osteoarthritis. The model is designed to simulate disease progression, treatment effects, associated costs, and QALY over a patient’s lifetime. To generate long-term health and economic outcomes, the model also applied factors such as patient-identified weight change, pain relief, disease progression, and adverse events.” Full

Video: Evaluating Cost-Effectiveness of NMIBC Therapies From a Health Plan Perspective

(9/16, Zachary Contreras, Pharm.D., Managed Healthcare Executive) “An expert discusses how health plans evaluate high-cost NMIBC therapies by examining total cost of care, weighing risk versus reward for treatments like gene therapy that can cost over a million dollars, and using frameworks from NCCN guidelines and ICER to perform comparative effectiveness analyses.” View Video

Video: Leveraging Real-World Data to Address Unmet Needs in Acromegaly Care

(9/16, The Evidence Base) “...As a rare endocrine disorder, acromegaly is associated with significant morbidity, reduced quality of life, and substantial healthcare costs. Optimizing its management requires a clear understanding of both disease burden and real-world treatment dynamics. In this video interview, Tiffany Quock, Vice President of Healthcare Economics and Outcomes Research at Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, discusses four studies recently published in the Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research. The discussion examines healthcare resource utilization, cost drivers, treatment initiation, persistence, and dosing patterns, providing evidence-based insights to inform clinical practice, payer strategy, and future therapeutic development.” View Video

Blueprint For RWE: Aetion Execs Outline Real-World Data Role From Preclinical To Postmarketing

(9/15, Bridget Silverman, Pink Sheet) reports “...Sponsors should systematically incorporate real-world evidence generation in all development programs, advises an epidemiology-forward ‘blueprint’ Aetion executives developed.” Subscription Required

Hill Staff Gets Briefed on Implications of Trump's Drug Pricing Plan

(9/15, Daniel Payne, STAT+) reports “...The meeting was hosted by Arnold Ventures and also included representatives from the libertarian Cato Institute and the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute. Cassidy's office did not immediately comment on the briefing. Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at Cato, spoke at the meeting. He said there was some agreement among experts that drug prices were probably higher than they should be. Still, staffers remained ‘pretty tight-lipped about what might be going on on the hill,’ Cannon said, noting that ‘pharma holds a lot of sway in Congress over these issues.’” Subscription Required