NICE denies access to Darzalex Faspro

Patients have been dealt a major blow after the first ever treatment for AL amyloidosis, a rare incurable condition, was rejected by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Darzalex Faspro (the subcutaneous formulation of daratumumab), in combination with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (VCd or CyBorD in short), is marketed for the treatment of newly-diagnosed light chain (AL) amyloidosis by Janssen, the pharmaceutical arm of US healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ). All four drugs are already individually available on the National Health Service (NHS).

Up to 600 patients would have benefitted from the life-extending treatment, known as Dara-CyBorD, each year. The news comes three months after the same treatment was approved and rolled out to newly-diagnosed patients in Scotland on the (NHS). 0