NICE eliminates hope for patients in England to access Abraxane

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued its Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) to not recommend US biotech major Celgene’s (Nasdaq: CELG) Abraxane (nab-paclitaxel) in combination with gemcitabine, for adults with previously untreated metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (metastatic pancreatic cancer).

This decision has been made despite the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) accepting Abraxane in combination with gemcitabine for use in their countries, for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer, says Celgene, pointing out that pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis, with survival rates being amongst the worst of other common cancers in England and Wales; approximately 80% of adult patients in England and Wales do not survive one-year post diagnosis.

However, according to the NICE, the cost of using nab-paclitaxel to treat pancreatic cancer is not justified by its limited benefits compared to current treatments, confirming that the drug should not be funded by the National Health Service for people whose pancreatic cancer has spread and who have not received any other treatments.