Introduction Type 2 diabetes represents a continuing healthcare challenge, and choosing cost-effective treatments is crucial to ensure that healthcare resources are used efficiently. The present analysis assessed the cost-effectiveness of once-weekly semaglutide 1 mg versus empagliflozin 25 mg for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with inadequate glycaemic control on metformin monotherapy from a healthcare payer perspective in the UK. Methods Outcomes were projected over patient lifetimes using the IQVIA CORE Diabetes Model. Baseline cohort characteristics and treatment effects of initiation of once-weekly semaglutide 1 mg and empagliflozin 25 mg were based on an indirect comparison conducted using patient-level data, as there is currently no head-to-head clinical trial comparing these therapies. Modelled patients received treatments until glycated haemoglobin exceeded 7.5% (58 mmol/mol), at which point patients initiated basal insulin. The analysis captured pharmacy costs and costs of diabetes-related complications, expressed in 2019 pounds sterling (GBP). Projected outcomes were discounted at 3.5% annually. Scenario analyses were prepared to assess uncertainty around projected outcomes. Results Once-weekly semaglutide 1 mg was associated with increases in life expectancy and quality-adjusted life expectancy of 0.12 years and 0.23 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), respectively, compared with empagliflozin 25 mg. Projected improvements in quality and duration of life resulted from a reduced cumulative incidence and a delayed time to onset of diabetes-related complications. Once-weekly semaglutide was associated with increased pharmacy costs, but this was partially offset by avoided costs of treating complications. Once-weekly semaglutide was associated with an increase in costs of GBP 1017 per patient, leading to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of GBP 4439 per QALY gained. Conclusion Once-weekly semaglutide 1 mg was projected to be a cost-effective treatment option from a healthcare payer perspective compared with empagliflozin 25 mg for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes in the UK setting.

IntroductionAn analysis was conducted to estimate the economic burden of insulin-related hypoglycemia in adults in Spain, derived from a novel concept developed for the UK known as the Local Impact of Hypoglycemia Tool.MethodsCosts per severe and non-severe hypoglycemic episode were calculated for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The costs per episode were applied to the population of adults with T1DM and T2DM using insulin in Spain according to the number of severe and non-severe episodes experienced per year. Costs were calculated using Spanish-specific resource costs and published values for resource utilization, including ambulance, accident and emergency (A&E) department, hospitalization, healthcare professional visits, and extra self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) tests used in the week following the episode. A one-way sensitivity analysis on all model inputs was then performed.ResultsThe cost of insulin-related hypoglycemia in Spain is estimated as €662.0 m per year, €292.6 m of which is due to severe episodes and €369.4 m to non-severe episodes. The cost per episode varies from €1.25 for patients with T1DM and €1.48 for patients with T2DM for a non-severe episode where extra SMBG testing after the episode is the only action taken, to €4378.22 for T1DM and €3005.74 for T2DM for a severe episode that was treated in hospital and requires an ambulance, A&E visit, hospitalization, and a diabetes specialist visit. A reduction in severe and non-severe hypoglycemia rates of just 20% could lead to considerable cost savings of €284,925 per 100,000 general population.ConclusionThis analysis highlights the substantial economic burden of hypoglycemia in Spain, and gives budget holders the ability to assess the costs of new treatments or patient education programs in relation to the potential cost savings due to lower hypoglycemia rates.

Aims Currently no head-to-head data are available comparing semaglutide 2.0 mg with dulaglutide 3.0 mg or 4.5 mg. We conducted an indirect treatment comparison (ITC) of their effects on glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials and methods Multilevel network meta-regression (MLNMR) was conducted, based on a connected evidence network of published results from the AWARD-11 trial and individual patient data (IPD) from the SUSTAIN FORTE and SUSTAIN 7 trials. Results Semaglutide 2.0 mg significantly reduced HbA1c versus dulaglutide 3.0 mg and 4.5 mg, with estimated treatment differences (ETD) of –0.44%-points (95% credible interval [CrI]: –0.68, –0.19) and –0.28%-points (95% CrI: –0.52, –0.03), respectively. Semaglutide 2.0 mg also significantly reduced body weight versus dulaglutide 3.0 mg and 4.5 mg with ETDs of –3.29 kg (95% CrI: –4.62, −1.96) and –2.57 kg (95% CrI: –3.90, –1.24), respectively. Odds of achieving HbA1c <7.0% were significantly greater for semaglutide 2.0 versus dulaglutide 3.0 mg (odds ratio [OR]: 2.23 [95% CrI: 1.15, 3.90]), while this did not reach significance for semaglutide 2.0 mg versus dulaglutide 4.5 mg (OR: 1.58 [95% CrI: 0.82, 2.78]). Sensitivity analyses supported the main analysis findings. Conclusions This ITC demonstrated significantly greater reductions from baseline in HbA1c and body weight with semaglutide 2.0 mg vs dulaglutide 3.0 mg and 4.5 mg. The findings of this study provide important comparative effectiveness information until randomised head-to-head studies become available.

Objective: This study assessed the effects of semaglutide on body weight, cardiometabolic risk factors, and glycemic status in individuals categorized by baseline BMI with or without additional obesity-related comorbidities, including prediabetes and high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).Methods: This was a post hoc exploratory subgroup analysis of the Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with Obesity (STEP) 1 trial (NCT03548935), in which participants without diabetes and BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 , or BMI ≥27 kg/m 2 with ≥1 weightrelated comorbidity, were randomized to once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo for 68 weeks. For this analysis, individuals were categorized into subgroups based on baseline BMI <35 versus ≥35 kg/m 2 (with no additional criteria, with ≥1 comorbidity, with prediabetes, and with prediabetes and high risk of CVD).Results: Mean changes in body weight from baseline to week 68 with semaglutide were À16.2% and À14.0% in the subgroups with baseline BMI <35 and ≥35 kg/m 2 , respectively (both p < 0.0001 vs. placebo). Similar changes were observed in individuals with comorbidities, with prediabetes, and with prediabetes plus high CVD risk.The beneficial effects of semaglutide on cardiometabolic risk factors were consistent across all subgroups.Conclusions: This subgroup analysis confirms that semaglutide is effective in individuals with baseline BMI <35 and ≥35 kg/m 2 , including in those with comorbidities.

IntroductionThe aim of this analysis was to estimate the cost of insulin-related hypoglycemia in adult patients with diabetes in Italy using the Local Impact of Hypoglycemia Tool (LIHT), and to explore the effect of different hypoglycemia rates on budget impact.MethodsDirect costs and healthcare resource utilization were estimated for severe and non-severe hypoglycemic episodes in Italy and applied to the population of adults with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and their corresponding hypoglycemia episode rates (0.49 severe and 53.3 non-severe episodes per year for T1DM, and 0.09 severe and 9.3 non-severe episodes per year for T2DM). Uncertainty around model inputs was explored through sensitivity and scenario analyses.ResultsThe direct cost of insulin-related hypoglycemia in Italy is estimated at €144.7 million per year, with €65 million attributable to severe episodes and €79.6 million due to non-severe episodes. The total cost of hypoglycemia is approximately 1.7-fold higher for T2DM (€91.7 million) than for T1DM (€53 million). The cost of a hypoglycemic episode ranges from €4.59 for a non-severe event where additional self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) testing is the only cost incurred, to €5790.59 for a severe event that also requires an ambulance, A&E, hospitalization, and a visit to a diabetes specialist. A reduction in hypoglycemia event rates could result in substantial cost savings; for example, a 20% reduction in severe and non-severe hypoglycemia rates could result in a saving of €47,769 per general population of 100,000 people.ConclusionsThe LIHT highlights the substantial economic burden of insulin-related hypoglycemia in Italy, particularly with regards to non-severe hypoglycemia, an aspect of hypoglycemia that is often overlooked. This analysis may aid healthcare decision-making by allowing the costs of insulin therapies or diabetes self-management programs to be balanced with the savings provided by reductions in hypoglycemia.FundingNovo Nordisk, UK.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13300-018-0418-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.