Pharmaceutical Sciences ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 4-12-2023

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease in which the central nervous system’s myelin sheath is degraded by auto-immune cells. Relapse remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is the most common MS phenotype, accounting for ~85% of new diagnoses. Disease modifying therapies (DMTs) are used in RRMS to reduce the frequency of relapses and prevent disability progression. The present study performed a cost effectiveness analysis of three B-cell depleting monoclonal antibody DMTs: ocrelizumab, ofatumumab and rituximab, in comparison to commonly utilized interferon beta-1a (IFN-B1a). A Markov model was created to determine the impact of selected DMTs on the number of relapses, progression to severe disability, severe adverse events and death over a 5-year time frame. Model results demonstrated that all B-cell DMTs retained more patients on therapy than IFN-B1a. In the base case analysis, ocrelizumab and rituximab were both cost-effective, while ofatumumab required a 5% cost reduction to reach cost effectiveness thresholds.

First Committee Member (Chair)

Melissa Roberts

Degree Name

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Second Committee Member

Matthew Borrego

Level of Degree

Masters

Third Committee Member

Louanne Marie Cunico

Department Name

College of Pharmacy

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Keywords

Cost-effectiveness analysis, multiple sclerosis, monoclonal antibodies, economic studies, outcomes research, pharmacoeconomics

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