Real-world data quantifying the costs of increasing use of biologics in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are unknown.
Dr Park determined the outpatient IBD drug utilization trends, relative market share, and costs in the USA during a 9-year period.
The Truven MarketScan® Database was analyzed for patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) during 2007-2015.
National drug codes were used to identify prescription drugs; Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System J-codes were used to capture biologic out-patient infusions.
Proportion of drug usage, relative market share and per-member per-year (PMPY) costs were analyzed for biologics, immunomodulators, 5-ASAs and corticosteroids.
The team found that in 415,405 patients, utilization trends show a consistent rise in the market share of biologics during the 9-year study period.
 | The proportion of patients using biologics increased from 22% to 44% for CD | Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics |
The researchers found that proportion of patients using biologics increased from 22% to 44% for CD, and 5% to 16% for UC.
This contrasts a small decrease in immunomodulator and 5-ASA use for CD and relative constancy of other classes including corticosteroids-only use as primary IBD medication from 2007 to 2015.
The team noted that average biologic-taking patient accounted for $25,275 PMPY in 2007 and $36,051 PMPY in 2015.
The researchers found that the average pediatric biologic-taking patient accounted for $23,616 PMPY in 2007, and $41,109 PMPY in 2015.
In all patients, the team noted that the share of costs for biologics increased from 73% in 2007 to 86% in 2015.
Dr Park's team concludes, "The vast majority of costs allocated to out-patient IBD medications in the USA is attributed to increasing use of biologic therapies despite the relative minority of biologic-taking patients."
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