Opdivo for head and neck cancer too expensive for NHS use, says NICE

In yet another negative decision of a new cancer drug, the medicines cost-effectiveness watchdog for England and Wales has issued new draft guidance that has also come in for criticism from the Institute for Cancer Research, though the latter sees a role for Pharma to reduce the cost of drug development.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said today that it does not recommend US pharma major Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (NYSE: BMY) Opdivo (nivolumab) for the treatment of head and neck cancer. The anticipated marketing authorization for nivolumab is for treating squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck which has progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy.

The NICE appraisal committee found that the evidence showed a significant improvement in overall survival rates in the short term after nivolumab. However, its value for money was considerably above that which is usually a cost-effective use of National Health Service resources.