Amgen Repatha Trial Shows Cost-Effectiveness Below Industry Benchmark
What happened
Amgen announced results from the VESALIUS-CV trial, presenting a health economic analysis of its cholesterol drug Repatha. The analysis found Repatha to be cost-effective for high-risk adults who have never had a heart attack or stroke. This cost was approximately 36% below a benchmark used by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association. The analysis was led by the Duke Clinical Research Institute in collaboration with Mass General Brigham and Harvard.
From medicaldaily.com
Why it matters
The finding relates to how insurers and patients perceive the drug's value, as both the drug's price and the benchmark shape this perception. The standard measure used in these studies is the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). The 2025 American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology cost and value statement sets the willingness-to-pay threshold at $120,000 per QALY.
From medicaldaily.com
Who's involved
- AmgenSponsored the VESALIUS-CV clinical trial and developed Repatha.
- Duke Clinical Research InstituteLed the independent health economic analysis of the trial results.
- American Heart AssociationSet a benchmark used in the cost-effectiveness comparison.
- HarvardCollaborated on the health economic analysis of the VESALIUS-CV trial.
- Mass General BrighamCollaborated on the clinical analysis of the VESALIUS-CV trial.
- American College of CardiologyEstablished the cost-effectiveness benchmark used in the analysis.
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- AmgenSpeculative
Might see increased sales potential due to validation of Repatha's cost-effectiveness for payers.
- MedicareSpeculative
Could support favorable reimbursement decisions via payment structures based on the cost-effectiveness finding.
- American Heart AssociationSpeculative
Might see validation of its cost-effectiveness benchmark standards through the Repatha analysis.
- American College of CardiologySpeculative
Might see validation of its cost-effectiveness benchmark standards against Repatha's performance.
Keep exploring
The entities involved
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Amgen
American multinational biopharmaceutical company
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Duke Clinical Research Institute
Clinical Research Institute at Duke University
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American Heart Association
US nonprofit funding cardiovascular medical research, educating consumers on healthy living, and fostering cardiac care