Amgen's Xgeva gets NICE backing for bone metastasis

New guidance published today (October 24) by the UK’s drugs watchdog the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) commits the National Health Service to funding US biotech firm Amgen’s (Nasdaq; AMGN) Xgeva (denosumab) for cancer patients whose disease has spread from most solid tumour sites (eg, breast, lung, liver) to their bones, known as bone metastasis.

The NICE guidance covers the use of denosumab as a treatment to delay or prevent “skeletal-related events” which are caused by bone metastases. These event’ include pathological fractures, spinal cord compression, or the need for radiation or surgery to the bone. People who are recommended to receive denosumab are those with bone metastases from: breast cancer or solid tumors other than prostate who would otherwise be prescribed bisphosphonates.

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