Those living in Scotland with the rare blood cancer polycythaemia vera (PV) will soon gain access to a new treatment option on the NHS after cost regulators approved funding for Novartis’ Jakavi (ruxolitinib). The drug can be used on the NHS to treat adults with polycythaemia vera (PV) who are resistant to, or intolerant of, hydroxyurea
A “revolutionary” new class of cancer drug that can treat a wide range of tumours has been approved for use in Europe for the first time. Tumour-agnostic drugs ignore the location of where the cancer is growing in the body, providing has a specific genetic abnormality inside. UK doctors testing the drugs has herald the
A final appraisal document has been published indicating the subcutaneous injection as an option for preventing recurrent attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in patients aged 12 and older, meaning that those eligible can now receive the innovative treatment. Although patients will only receive the drug if they are eligible for preventive C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) treatment
NICE have said in a recent statement that Novartis’ gene therapy Luxturna for a rare, inherited form of blindness should be available for routine NHS use in England and Wales. The one-off treatment, which was previously approvedin Europe last November, has been backed by the cost-effectiveness watchdog for use in children and adults living with vision
NICE announces the recommendation of Amgen’s blinatumomab for treating acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The indication is for patients in first complete remission with minimal residual disease (MRD) activity of at least 0.1%. This decision to recommend the drug as a cost-effective use of NHS resources was made after the submission of new evidence from the
NICE has recommended funding for Nusinersen on the NHS. The recommendation was made for infants, children and adults with 5q spinal muscular atrophy and will be available through a scheme known as a Managed Access Agreement (MAA), meaning that patients will be able to get Nusinersen while more long-term data on its efficacy is gathered.
A partnership between Greater Manchester and NICE that was created with the aim of improving the health of the local population has been extended for another three years. A Memorandum of Understanding has been agreed between NICE, Health Innovation Manchester and The University of Manchester outlining a shared commitment to boosting health through research, informing
NICE has recommend that three separate treatments for thyroid cancer should be made available for use on the NHS: Ipsen’s Cometriq, Bayer’s Nexavar, and Eisai’s Lenvima. The former two were previously only available via the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), and Eisai’s finally gains approval after delays of over two years. Eisai’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor was
Patients who have received at least one prior therapy for multiple myeloma in Scotland will soon have access to Amgen’s Kyprolis in combination with dexamethasone through the NHS, following a recommendation by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC). This is a big achievement for the American biopharma, as the drug is the first and only proteasome
Various UK biotechs have stated the current system in England for assessing treatments for extremely rare diseases is “not fit for purpose” and needs to change. The BioIndustry Association made the statement in a response to proposals to change the way highly specialised drugs and health technologies are evaluated for NHS use.
