OBJECTIVES: A budget impact model(BIM) was developed to investigate the financial impact of infliximab subcutaneous(SC) from a US healthcare perspective. Zymfentra, the first and only infliximab SC, was approved by the FDA in October 2023. Upon further analysis, potential savings could arise from reduced treatment-related travel costs, reduced productivity losses for patients not traveling for infusions every 8 weeks, potentially taking time off work, and reduced treatment wastage of infliximab IV. In this model, comparators included biologics under pharmacy benefit and those without biosimilars.

METHODS: The BIM developed for infliximab SC in ulcerative colitis(UC) and Crohn’s disease(CD) uses the costs of treatment and incorporates specific drug patient shares and number of eligible patients in two scenarios, one current scenario without infliximab SC and a revised scenario with infliximab SC. The model assumed to compare costs of the following molecules: certolizumab, golimumab, vedolizumab, ustekinumab, upadacitinib, risankizumab, tofacitinib, and natalizumab.

RESULTS: The results of the base case analysis of the BIM estimated that in Year-1, of the total US population with IBD(n=1,985,298), 295,243 patients will receive biologics, and among them 84,275 patients will receive infliximab SC in the ‘world with’ scenario. Taking into account the patient population eligible to receive biologic treatment and the proportion of those expected to receive infliximab SC, the total budget savings resulting from the introduction of infliximab SC to the US will be 2 billion USD in Year-1 and 39.5 billion USD over a five-year period.

CONCLUSIONS: The base case of this BIM takes into account how infliximab SC will impact IBD treatment budget from a US perspective. Infliximab is considered as a potent treatment compared to the recently developed biologics. The model, based on the assumption that analyzed molecules have similar efficacy, suggests that treatment with Zymfentra will yield cost savings while improving patient convenience and offering intangible benefits.