UCB drug first to be recommended in new NICE pathway

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued a Final Appraisal Determination recommending UCB’s (Euronext: UCB) bimekizumab as an option for adults with severe plaque psoriasis.

This recommendation is the first to follow the NICE’s new Expedited Low Risk Fast Track Appraisal process, a pathway developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to minimize delaying access to new innovative medicines.

"This fast-tracked NICE decision marks a significant moment for innovative medicines in the UK"As part of this process, a subset of the appraisal committee is able to make a recommendation based on the evidence included in the initial submission made by the company and assessed by the Evidence Review Group, without the need for a full committee meeting.