Iron Isomaltoside versus Ferric Carboxymaltose: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Iron Deficiency Anemia

The use of iron isomaltoside 1000/ferric derisomaltose (IIM) was associated with lower costs compared with ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in patients with iron deficiency anemia in a United Kingdom-based study.

The researchers developed a patient-level simulation model to assess the cost per patient experiencing hematologic response with IIM compared with FCM. Data from the indirect treatment comparison were used to model changes in hemoglobin.

Hematologic response was achieved in 79% of IIM patients compared with 70% of FCM patients. The mean number of infusions necessary to administer the required dose was higher with FCM (1.92) than IIM (1.38), resulting in higher costs per treated patient with FCM than IIM (£637 vs. £457, respectively), as well as higher costs per responder (£910 vs. £579, respectively).

The authors summarized, “The analysis showed that using IIM rather than FCM in patients with iron deficiency anemia was dominant and would reduce the number of iron infusions required to correct iron deficiency, thereby reducing the costs associated with iron deficiency anemia treatment and simultaneously increasing the proportion of patients with iron deficiency anemia experiencing a clinically meaningful hematologic response.”