UK's NICE continues to back Amgen's Xgeva for most cancer patients with bone metastases

In a final draft guidance issued today, (August 17), the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the UK’s drug watchdog, has today (17 August) is recommending US biotech giant Amgen’s (Nasdaq: AMGN) Xgeva (denosumab) as a treatment for people with bone metastases from most solid cancer tumors.

The draft guidance published today has been produced after a review of available evidence and two stages of public consultation. It provisionally recommends denosumab for the prevention of skeletal-related events in: people with bone metastases from breast cancer; and people with bone metastases from solid tumors (other than breast or prostate) who would otherwise be prescribed bisphosphonates. The draft guidance also stipulates that denosumab should be prescribed to these patients if the manufacturer provides denosumab at the discounted rate agreed with the Department of Health as part of a patient access scheme.

Carole Longson, director of the Centre for Health Technology Evaluation at the NICE, said: “Bone metastasis can severely affect a person’s quality of life, stopping them from doing things so many of us take for granted. We are therefore pleased that our draft guidance recommends denosumab for those patients who are most likely to benefit from the treatment.”