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23/04/2014
Nice To Block New Breast Cancer Drug
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) is moving to block a new breast cancer drug because it said it is not effective enough to justify the price the NHS is being asked to pay.
The clinical trial results allegedly show that women on Kadcyla treatment survived 30.9 months. compared with 25.1 months on similar treatments, and it is currently given to breast cancer patients who have failed on conventional treatment with Herceptin and chemotherapy.
The medicine, which is manufactured by Roche, will cost around £90,000 per patient.
Nice chief executive Sir Andrew Dillon said: "We apply as much flexibility as we can in approving new treatments, but the reality is that given its price and what it offers to patients, it will displace more health benefit which the NHS could achieve in other ways than it will offer to patients with breast cancer."
Professor Paul Ellis, lead triallist for the drug in the UK and consultant oncologist at King's College. London said: "Kadcyla represents a significant advance in HER2-positive breast cancer, so for Nice to issue negative preliminary guidance is a huge blow.”
While Jayson Dallas, general manager of Roche Products Limited, said: "Roche is extremely disappointed that Nice has failed to safeguard the interests of patients with this advanced stage of aggressive disease."
The decision is now up for public consultation and during this time patients will be able to apply to their local NHS and to the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) for the drug.
(CVS)
The clinical trial results allegedly show that women on Kadcyla treatment survived 30.9 months. compared with 25.1 months on similar treatments, and it is currently given to breast cancer patients who have failed on conventional treatment with Herceptin and chemotherapy.
The medicine, which is manufactured by Roche, will cost around £90,000 per patient.
Nice chief executive Sir Andrew Dillon said: "We apply as much flexibility as we can in approving new treatments, but the reality is that given its price and what it offers to patients, it will displace more health benefit which the NHS could achieve in other ways than it will offer to patients with breast cancer."
Professor Paul Ellis, lead triallist for the drug in the UK and consultant oncologist at King's College. London said: "Kadcyla represents a significant advance in HER2-positive breast cancer, so for Nice to issue negative preliminary guidance is a huge blow.”
While Jayson Dallas, general manager of Roche Products Limited, said: "Roche is extremely disappointed that Nice has failed to safeguard the interests of patients with this advanced stage of aggressive disease."
The decision is now up for public consultation and during this time patients will be able to apply to their local NHS and to the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) for the drug.
(CVS)
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