Fidaxomicin provides cost benefits in Clostridium difficile against vancomycin for cancer patients

Results from a new study have shown overall treatment costs for cancer patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) are lower with fidaxomicin, marketed as Dificlir by Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma (TYO: 4503), compared to the current standard of care, vancomycin. Based on a decision tree analysis, the study shows a potential cost saving of 5,600 euros ($7,250) per patient.

Chemotherapy recipients and those with solid tumors are particularly susceptible to CDI because of the prolonged periods spent in hospital, and exposure to many types of antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents.

The pharmaeconomic model combined data from a study exploring the resolution of CDI in cancer patients being treated with fidaxomicin or vanocomycin, and a recent cost-of-illness analysis on CDI conducted at the University Hospital of Cologne in Germany.This explored direct cost parameters, such as drug costs, treatment on the general and intensive care wards as well as micribiological diagnostics for CDI, and mean overall treatment costs per patient treated with fidaxomicin were 22,200 euros against 27,800 euros with vancomycin.