More negative opinions on cancer drugs from UK's NICE

In two guidance documents issued this week, the UK’s drug watchdog the Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has again turned down National Health Service use of two cancer drugs; independent French drugmaker Pierre Fabre’s Javlor (vinflunine) for bladder cancer and Swiss drug major Roche’s (SIX: ROG) Tarceva (erlotinib) as maintenance treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

In a final draft guidance, the NICE said it has not been able to recommend vinflunine for the treatment of advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract which has progressed following prior treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. The draft is now with consultees, who have the opportunity to appeal against it. NICE has not yet issued final guidance to the NHS.

Commenting, NICE Chief Executive, Sir Andrew Dillon said: "When we recommend the use of expensive treatments designed to extend life, we need to be confident about the nature and the extent of the benefit they bring. In the case of vinflunine, the manufacturer has been unable to provide the committee with conclusive evidence on how effective vinflunine is, particularly the extent to which it can prolong survival compared with best supportive care. The committee also had concerns that the negative side effects of vinflunine, such as severe constipation, were not fully taken account of in the economic evaluation."