Integration of pharmacometrics and pharmacoeconomics to quantify the value of improved forgiveness to non-adherence: A case study of novel xanthine oxidase inhibitors for gout.

Linked pharmacometric and pharmacoeconomic models provide a structured approach for assessing the value of candidate drugs in development. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of such an approach for identifying the properties of xanthine oxidase inhibitors (XOi) providing improved forgiveness to nonadherence and estimate the maximum reimbursement price. The pharmacometric and pharmacoeconomic models were used to simulate the time course of serum uric acid concentrations and estimate quality-adjusted life years and costs for the XOi febuxostat and a range of hypothetical analogues. Compounds with reduced clearance or increased potency were more forgiving to missed doses, however, even following relatively large changes in these properties the predicted maximum reimbursement prices represented an increase of only 19% above febuxostat 80 mg. Linked pharmacometric and pharmacoeconomic modeling methods have the potential to inform early drug development by providing an indication of pricing options that may permit reimbursement.