New Data Show Oral Ferric Maltol (FERACCRU) May Be a Cost-effective Alternative to Intravenous (IV) Carboxymaltose With at Least as Great Benefits in the Quality of Life of Patients With Iron Deficiency Anaemia and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

- Ferric maltol (FM) was associated with substantially lower use of healthcare resources than IV ferric carboxymaltose (FCM)

- IV FCM was linked to greater productivity loss and disruption to patients' work and family life due to the need for clinic-based IV administration  

- 50% of patients on IV FCM lost at least one full day due to treatment with 43% losing up to €387.51, as quantified for a German setting

- Mean total per patient drug costs were approximately 1.6 times higher for treatment with IV FCM compared to FM

AMSTERDAM, Feb. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Norgine B.V. highlighted new data from three post hoc analyses of the randomised controlled, open label, phase 3b non-inferiority study of oral ferric maltol vs intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (NCT02680756), presented at the 15th European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Congress in Vienna. Ferric maltol, a novel oral iron replacement therapy, was found to be a cost-saving alternative to intravenous (IV) ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) by reducing drug administration costs^[1] and productivity loss,^[2]  with at least as great benefit to the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).^[3] 

Dr. Stefanie Howaldt from the Hamburg Research Institute for IBD, HaFCED e.K., Germany presented the new research findings at ECCO and commented, "Iron deficiency anaemia is very common in inflammatory bowel disease and can significantly impair the quality of life of patients. Due to very common intolerance to standard oral iron products, IV iron is currently the main treatment alternative for IBD patients with IDA. These new data demonstrate that ferric maltol is not only a well-tolerated and effective therapy, which we previously knew, but also a cost-saving treatment for the healthcare system, representing an alternative oral treatment option with substantial health-related quality of life benefit for IBD patients with IDA.''

IDA can be a serious complication of IBD resulting from inflammation, chronic mucosal blood loss and iron malabsorption.^[4]  Treatment of IDA involves iron-replacement therapy often with oral iron supplementation in the first instance.^[4]  However, use of oral ferrous iron medications may be limited by poor absorption and adverse events^[4,5] which can lead to many unwell patients having to receive IV iron in hospital.