NICE backs expanded use of AbbVie's Ozurdex

The UK unit of US pharma major AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) says that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued a Final Appraisal Document recommending Ozudrex (dexamethasone intravitreal implant) as a treatment option within the National Health Service (NHS), for adults with visual impairment caused by diabetic macular edema (DMO), when their condition has not responded well enough to, or they cannot have non-corticosteroid therapy.

Until now, use of dexamethasone intravitreal implant within the NHS has only been available to these patients if they had an artificial (pseudophakic) lens. This recommendation from NICE extends use of the implant to include those with a natural (phakic) lens and means that suitable DMO patients will now have access to an additional treatment option beyond non-cortiocosteroid therapy.1

DMO is a complication of diabetes which affects approximately 7% of 3.5 million people with the condition in England. It is one of the leading causes of preventable sight loss in the UK.