Initial 'no' from UK's NICE for Novartis' Lucentis in DMO

UK drug watchdog the Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), in a draft guidance issued last week, has declined to recommend the National Health Service use of Swiss drug major Novartis’ (NOVN: VX) Lucentis (ranibizumab) for treating diabetic macular edema (DMO).

Novartis has a license to the compound in markets excluding the USA from fellow Swiss major Roche’s subsidiary Genentech, which US retains rights to the product, already sold the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a use that was cleared by the NICE in 2008. This new draft guidance relating to DMO has been issued for consultation. The NICE has not yet issued final guidance to the NHS.

Commenting on the draft recommendations, Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive at the NICE, said: “Patients with diabetic macular oedema currently receive laser photocoagulation, a treatment proven to have long term benefits. Although ranibizumab has been shown to be an effective treatment for DMO, and NICE already recommends it for wet age-related macular degeneration, the Appraisal Committee was unable to recommend the drug for this condition because the economic analysis provided by the manufacturer did not reflect clinical practice in a number of respects.”