LivaNova VNS Therapy System for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Could Save $77K Per Patient Over Five Years

LivaNova PLC, a medical technology company, said a new cost analysis found that the company’s Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy (VNS Therapy) System results in lower resource utilization and lower cost for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) patients when compared to continued treatment with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).¹ The analysis, published in Advances in Therapy and supported by LivaNova, showed initial costs for the VNS Therapy device, including placement and programming, were estimated to be offset 1.7 years post-implant and equated to an estimated net cost savings of $77,480 per patient over five years. The net cost savings are due primarily to a reduction in seizure-related hospitalizations, resulting in a 21.5 percent decrease in costs compared to treatment with AEDs alone.
 
“The ability to improve outcomes while reducing costs is an important area of focus in healthcare today. Our VNS Therapy System achieves this by reducing seizure frequency and by decreasing overall cost of treatment,” said Edward Andrle, LivaNova general manager of Neuromodulation. “We are proud that VNS Therapy is a proven, practical treatment option for drug-resistant epilepsy that eases the associated financial burden for both patients and the healthcare system.”
 
Approximately one in three patients with epilepsy has DRE. These patients are subject to frequent seizures that require expensive health resources like hospitalizations and emergency department visits. By evaluating more than 1,500 patients in the United States, the new cost model demonstrates cost savings attributed to positive health outcomes from the use of VNS Therapy as opposed to treatment with AEDs.
 
“Not only did the analysis demonstrate a significant cost savings associated with VNS Therapy treatment in comparison to AED treatment alone, but this savings is based on a very important health outcome— the reduction of seizure frequency,” said Bryan Olin, LivaNova senior vice president for Clinical, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs. “By reducing seizure frequency with VNS Therapy, we may also see a positive impact on patients’ quality of life.”
 
This study was conducted by RTI Health Solutions under the direction of LivaNova PLC and was funded by LivaNova PLC. Article processing charges were funded by LivaNova PLC. The number of eligible patients for the study was calculated to be 1,536.
 
VNS Therapy is clinically proven safe and effective for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy for adults and children. VNS Therapy is designed to prevent seizures before they occur and stop them if they do. It is a unique treatment approach developed for people with drug-resistant epilepsy—a condition that affects one in three people with epilepsy.
  
LivaNova PLC is a global medical technology company built on nearly five decades of experience and a commitment to improve the lives of patients around the world. LivaNova’s advanced technologies and breakthrough treatments provide meaningful solutions for the benefit of patients, healthcare professionals and healthcare systems. Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, LivaNova has a presence in more than 100 countries worldwide. The company currently employs approximately 4,000 employees. LivaNova operates as two businesses: Cardiac Surgery and Neuromodulation, with operating headquarters in Mirandola, Italy, and Houston, Texas, respectively.

References
1. Purser, M.F., Mladsi, D.M., Beckman, A. et al. Adv Ther (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-018-0775-0.
2. The New England Journal of Medicine. Drug-Resistant Epilepsy. Patrick Kwan, M.D., Ph.D., Steven C. Schachter, M.D., and Martin J. Brodie, M.D.