WHAT IS THE CADTH REIMBURSEMENT RECOMMENDATION FOR ADTRALZA?: CADTH recommends that Adtralza should not be reimbursed by public drug plans for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in adult and adolescent patients 12 years and older whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable. WHY DID CADTH MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION? Evidence from 4 clinical trials demonstrated that, in the short term, Adtralza treatment improved severity of AD, itch symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to placebo in adults and adolescents with moderate to severe AD; however, it is uncertain if the magnitude of benefit is clinically meaningful to patients and clinicians. Additionally, a clinical trial in adults with severe AD whose disease did not adequately respond to, or were deemed unsafe to receive, a systemic immunosuppressant showed that Adtralza treatment improved severity of AD but not itch, and its effects on other clinical outcomes are unclear. No evidence that directly compared Adtralza to currently available treatments for AD was submitted. The indirect evidence submitted was uncertain due to limitations of the analyses; therefore, it is unclear whether Adtralza offers a clinically meaningful benefit for patients compared to other treatments for AD. The evidence for the effectiveness of Adtralza use in the longer term and in patients who previously received dupilumab and/or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) (i.e., currently existing treatments) was uncertain due to limitations of the study designs and analysis; therefore, the benefits of Adtralza in these scenarios cannot be determined.
WHAT IS AD? AD is a condition that affects the skin and causes dry, red skin that is extremely itchy. Constant scratching causes the skin to split and bleed, which can lead to infections. Oozing and weeping sores occur in more severe forms. Severe AD can be physically incapacitating and cause anxiety or depression. The lifetime prevalence of AD is estimated to be up to 17% in people in Canada. UNMET NEEDS IN AD: There is a potential need for additional treatment options that effectively reduce the severity and symptoms of AD, particularly in patients whose disease did not adequately respond to, or were deemed unsafe to receive, other biologics and/or the currently available JAKis. HOW MUCH DOES ADTRALZA COST? Treatment with Adtralza is expected to cost $22,802 per patient per year in the first year of treatment and then $21,958 in subsequent years.
