Pressure group seeks compulsory license for biosimilar of Roche's Kadcyla in UK

A pressure group has called on the UK’s Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to grant a compulsory license for patents that cover Kadcyla (trastuzumab emtansine) from Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX).

This would allow other companies to produce biosimilar versions of Kadcyla, which treats breast cancer. The Coalition for Affordable T-DM1 is aiming to persuade the government to grant greater access to the drug since the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence determined that the cost of Roche’s product is excessive. Kadcyla, which costs $136,000 per patient, is one of several medicines that the UK’s Cancer Drugs Fund will no longer pay for. The Coalition for Affordable T-DM1 said that both UK and European law contains provision to grant such a license, and that one company has already indicated a willingness to produce a biosimilar if a license was issued.

The charity Breast Cancer Now has also called on Roche to bring down the price of Kadcyla before it becomes unavailable via the Cancer Drugs Fund, saying it has a responsibility to lower the price to something affordable for the NHS.