Astellas study shows cost-effectiveness benefits of Dificlir

Astellas has announced new clinical data that underlines the cost-effectiveness benefits of its fidaxomicin-based therapy Dificlir in the treatment of cancer patients with C. difficile infections (CDI).

Based on a decision tree analysis, it has been determined that overall treatment costs for this patient group are lower with fidaxomicin compared to the current standard of care, resulting in a potential saving of 5,600 euros (4,480 pounds) per patient.

The lower costs associated with fidaxomicin were primarily due to the significantly lower rate of recurrence in patients treated with this drug.

Study leader Sebastian Heimann, health economist at the University Hospital of Cologne, said: "We have already seen the superior reductions in CDI recurrence with fidaxomicin, so we are pleased to see it also clearly demonstrating cost-effectiveness."

Meanwhile, a second study conducted at St George's Hospital in London revealed that Astellas' drug led to a reduction in recurrence for patients with CDI and a saving of more than 48,000 pounds in the financial year for the NHS.

This could be an important finding given the current focus on combating superbugs such as C. difficile, as well as the fact that cancer patients can be particularly susceptible to CDI, due to their long hospital stays and exposure to many antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents.