ICER reaffirms Qsymia as most cost-effective obesity treatment

 Last July, the cost-effectiveness drug watchdog ICER released a preliminary draft report that Vivus’ Qsymia was the most cost-effective option for weight loss. That decision has now been validated.

ICER made its final determination Wednesday that Qsymia, the brand name for the appetite suppressant phentermine combined with anticonvulsant topiramate, was more cost-effective for weight loss than other competitors such as Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda (liraglutide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) or Currax Pharmaceuticals’ Contrave (bupropion/naltrexone).

Vivus’ Qsymia beats out weight loss competitors in pricing watchdog's latest cost-effectiveness analysis

Per ICER:

At current prices and with commonly accepted cost-effectiveness benchmarks, results suggest that phentermine/topiramate in addition to lifestyle modification is cost effective compared with lifestyle modification alone. The cost effectiveness of treatment of obesity with semaglutide or liraglutide, in patients without diabetes mellitus, exceeds commonly used thresholds.

The watchdog mentioned that the health-benefit price benchmark for the more famous semaglutide, which also was more effective than the other Novo Nordisk drug and Contrave, is $7,500 to $9,800 per year. But at its current price point, it would require the drug be discounted somewhere between 44-57% of its wholesale price.

ICER reviewers also added that if Qsymia wasn’t performing well in certain patients, Contrave may be the next best cost-effective option. The reviewers noted in their report that there were a few limitations to analysis, including the full impact of the drugs in patients with chronic kidney diseases or conditions where weight loss may be beneficial.

Vivus nabbed approval for Qsymia in adults in 2012, followed by a tumultuous history that ended up with Vivus filing for bankruptcy. Years later, the FDA expanded Qsymia’s weight loss indication from just adults to use in adolescents. However, the regulatory agency added the condition that the drug is given on top of both a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Vivus CEO John Amos told Endpoints News last month after ICER’s draft report that so far, Qsymia is averaging around $40 million to $42 million in annual sales and in the range of 400,000 scripts every year. And in approvals, Qsymia has been approved outside the US in South Korea, the five Nordic countries and Poland — with more approvals pending in other European countries such as the UK.

ICER’s decision comes the same week Currax launched a new ad campaign for Contrave, focused on the drug as a choice for emotional eating connected to obesity and overweight conditions.

https://endpts.com/icer-reaffirms-qsymia-as-most-cost-effective-obesity-treatment-in-final-report/