ASCS Plus Phototherapy for Vitiligo May Lower Long-Term Costs Compared to Phototherapy Alone
A new economic analysis suggests that combining a noncultured autologous skin cell suspension (ASCS) with phototherapy for stable vitiligo may reduce overall health care costs over 5 years compared to phototherapy alone.
The study modeled a 5-year clinical and economic trajectory for adults with stable vitiligo lesions who had previously not responded to topical treatments or phototherapy. Patients were treated either with ASCS plus narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy or phototherapy alone, based on efficacy data from the RSVP trial.
In year 1, ASCS plus phototherapy incurred higher per-patient costs ($28 177) compared to phototherapy alone ($21 146), representing a $7030 difference. However, over 5 years, the total cumulative cost for ASCS plus phototherapy was $92 779, compared to $101 518 for phototherapy alone—a savings of $8738 per patient. This translated to a cost reduction of $146 per patient per month (PMPM) and $1748 per patient per year (PPPY).
The breakeven point occurred between years 2 and 3. The model showed greatest sensitivity to ASCS response rates at weeks 24 and 52, as well as variations in health care costs. The authors noted, “ASCS treatment may lead to lower all-cause direct medical costs over 5 years compared to phototherapy alone.”
The RSVP trial previously demonstrated that 36% of lesions treated with ASCS plus phototherapy achieved at least 80% repigmentation by week 24, compared to 0% with phototherapy alone (P = 0.012). Durable response beyond year 1 was modeled using data from melanocyte-keratinocyte transplantation.
This analysis indicates that, despite higher initial treatment costs, ASCS with phototherapy may offer a more cost-efficient strategy over time for repigmentation in patients with stable vitiligo and prior inadequate response to standard therapies. The findings provide economic support for integrating ASCS into treatment pathways from a US payer perspective.
Reference
Benner J, Adair N, Hitt B, Nguyen VL, Hamzavi IH, Sussman M. Autologous skin cell suspension plus phototherapy in stable vitiligo: findings from a US economic model. J Med Econ. 2025;28(1):425–435. doi:10.1080/13696998.2025.2475674
