PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 673 - 9 Mar 2013

NICE recommends apixiban andranibizumab . . .

In final guidance, the UK NICE has recommendedapixaban [Eliquis] as an option for the prevention ofstroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.1 The Appraisal Committee saidthat apixaban was more effective at reducing stroke andsystemic embolism, and resulted in fewer bleedingevents than warfarin; treatment was also cost effectivewith the most plausible ICER* being less than £20 000per QALY gained, compared with warfarin.

Also in final guidance, NICE has recommendedranibizumab [Lucentis] for the treatment of diabeticmacular oedema if the eye has a central retinal thicknessof ≥ 400µm at the start of treatment and themanufacturer provides ranibizumab with the discountagreed in a revised Patient Access Scheme (PAS).2 NICEdid not recommend ranizumab in its previouslypublished guidance in 2011, but after the manufacturersubmitting a revised PAS, NICE conducted a rapidreview of the original guidance reversing that decision.

. . . but pemetrexed doesn’t make the cutHowever, in draft guidance, NICE has said it will not

recommend pemetrexed [Alimta] for the maintenancetreatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)following induction therapy with pemetrexed andcisplatin.3 At a cost of over £76 300 per QALY, NICE didnot consider this treatment a cost effective use of NHSresources. NICE has already recommended pemetrexedas a first-line treatment option for NSCLC and as amaintenance treatment option following platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with gemcitabine,paclitaxel or docetaxel.* incremental cost-effectiveness ratio

1. NICE. NICE recommends new treatment option for people with common heartcondition - 27 February 2013. Media Release : 27 Feb 2013. Available from:URL: http://www.nice.org.uk.

2. NICE. NICE gives green light to ranibizumab for diabetic macular oedema infinal guidance after rapid review. Media Release : 27 Feb 2013. Available from:URL: http://www.nice.org.uk.

3. NICE. NICE consults on pemetrexed for the maintenance treatment of non-small-celllung cancer. Media Release : 21 Feb 2013. Available from: URL:http://www.nice.org.uk.

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 9 Mar 2013 No. 6731173-5503/10/0673-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved