Kisqali gains positive NICE recommendation after previous rejection

There was positive news for Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX), with the UK medicines cost-effectiveness watchdog reversing an earlier negative decision and agreeing wider National Health Service use for its cancer drug Kisqali (ribociclib).

Kisqali has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use on the NHS in combination with Faslodex (fulvestrant), where exemestane plus everolimus is the most appropriate alternative, for the treatment of women with hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HR+/HER2) locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have received prior endocrine therapy.

In the UK, around 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. 30% of women with earlier stages of breast cancer will develop advanced disease.85% of women diagnosed with advanced breast cancer will not live longer than five years.