Cost Analysis Demonstrating Significant Health Care Savings Utilizing NexoBrid® in Burn Management Published in BioMed Research International

YAVNE, Israel, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediWound Ltd. (NASDAQ:MDWD), a fully-integrated biopharmaceutical company bringing innovative therapies to address unmet needs in severe burn and wound management, today announces that outcomes from an independent cost analysis review utilizing NexoBrid in severe burn management compared with standard-of-care (SOC) were published in the February edition of the journal, BioMedical Research International, in an article titled, “Cost Analysis of a Novel Enzymatic Debriding Agent for Management of Burn Wounds.” The full text of the article can be accessed here. 

The study results showed that the 10 patients treated with NexoBrid demonstrated total net savings of €53,300 compared with the SOC. The confidence interval analysis confirmed the savings. These results showed significant savings are obtained with the use of NexoBrid.

NexoBrid is an easy-to-use, topically-applied pharmaceutical treatment for severe burns that removes dead or damaged tissue, known as “eschar”, in approximately four hours without harming the surrounding healthy tissue. 

The study was conducted at the Burn Unit of the University Hospital Policlinio e Giovanni XXIII in Bari, Italy.  The study assessed the cost of treatment with NexoBrid compared with the SOC cost in 20 adult patients with intermediate-deep thermal burns of 14–22% total body surface area (TBSA) in a 1:1 ratio.  SOC was defined as surgical excision (first surgical step) followed by autografting surgery (second surgical step). In the 10 patients treated with NexoBrid, the first surgical step was not performed.

NexoBrid was applied in an ambulatory or bed-side setting 30 minutes after minor patient intravenous sedation and analgesia. One physician and one nurse were involved in the process. After four hours, the product was removed, and saline soaks were left in place for four to 10 hours before proceeding with standard dressing. In four patients treated by NexoBrid, all burns healed spontaneously without the need for additional skin grafting whereas all patients treated by SOC required skin grafting.

The cost analysis was performed in accordance with the weighted average Italian Health Ministry Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) and with Conferenza Stato/Regioni 2003 and the study by Tan et al. For each cost, 95% confidence intervals were evaluated.

“We are particularly pleased with the publication of this very favorable cost analysis review as it supports both the clinical and economic benefits of NexoBrid compared with the current standard-of-care in the routine management of severe burns.  The results show that using NexoBrid significantly reduces costs due to fewer surgeries, less blood loss and less time in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).  We believe that the growing body of independent cost effectiveness data generated by various burn centers across Europe in routine burn management will provide the foundation from which to grow and expand reimbursement for NexoBrid as we transition it to become the new standard-of-care in the treatment of severe burns,” stated Gal Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of MediWound.

The review also concluded that:

• Patients in the NexoBrid group stayed on average 6 days in the ICU and 25 days in the Sub-Intensive Care Unit (SICU), whereas patients in the SOC group stayed 8 days on average in the ICU and 29 days in the SICU. Considering an ICU cost per day of €1,325 and a SICU cost per day of €475, such reduction in terms of length of hospitalization results in a saving of €37,075 in the NexoBrid group.
• Patients in the NexoBrid group did not undergo surgical eschar excision (escharectomy), whereas all patients in the SOC group underwent escharectomy. Considering a cost per unit of €1,675 and considering that three patients in the SOC group underwent two different escharectomy surgical procedures, a total saving of €21,775 was determined in the NexoBrid group.
• Six patients in the NexoBrid group underwent autograft surgery, whereas all patients in the SOC group underwent autograft surgery. Considering a cost per unit of €12,414, a total saving of €49,656 euros was determined in the NexoBrid group.
• Five patients in the NexoBrid group required transfusion with 1 unit of blood (RBC) each, whereas all patients in the SOC group required transfusion (three patients with 1 unit, six patients with 2 units, and one patient with 3 units).Considering a cost per unit of €208, a total saving of €2,704 was determined in the NexoBrid group.
• The total net saving amounted to €53,300 in the NXB group. This was derived from €111,210 of saved resources (ICU\SICU hospitalization, escharectomy, autograft surgery, and blood transfusion) (total gross saving) minus total NXB cost of €57,910 for the assessed 10 patients.

About MediWound Ltd.

MediWound is a fully-integrated biopharmaceutical company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing novel therapeutics based on its patented proteolytic enzyme technology to address unmet needs in the fields of severe burns, chronic and other hard-to-heal wounds. MediWound’s first innovative biopharmaceutical product, NexoBrid^®, received marketing authorization from the European Medicines Agency as well as the Israeli and Argentinian Ministries of Health, for removal of dead or damaged tissue, known as eschar, in adults with deep partial and full-thickness thermal burns and was launched in Europe, Israel and Argentina. NexoBrid represents a new paradigm in burn care management, and clinical trials have demonstrated, with statistical significance, its ability to non-surgically and rapidly remove the eschar earlier and without harming viable tissue.

MediWound's second innovative product, EscharEx^®, is a topical biological drug being developed for debridement of chronic and other hard-to-heal wounds and is complementary to the large number of existing wound healing products, which require a clean wound bed in order to heal the wound. EscharEx contains the same proteolytic enzyme technology as NexoBrid, and benefits from the wealth of existing development data on NexoBrid.  In two Phase 2 studies, EscharEx demonstrated safety and efficacy in the debridement of chronic and other hard-to-heal wounds, within a few daily applications. 

For more information, please visit www.mediwound.com.  

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