NICE final recommendation positive for Afinitor

Following a positive new draft guidance in January, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), in its final decision has recommended Afinitor (everolimus) for the treatment of well- or moderately-differentiated unresectable or metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of pancreatic origin in adults with progressive disease.

The NICE, the medicines cost-effectiveness watchdog for England and Wales, also recommended Swiss pharma giant Novartis’ (NOVN: VX) Afinitor for the treatment of well-differentiated (grade 1 or grade 2) non-functional unresectable or metastatic NETs of gastrointestinal or lung origin in adults with progressive disease.

Everolimus targets mTOR, a protein that acts as an important regulator of tumour cell division, blood vessel growth and cell metabolism. Clinical data have established the role of mTOR in the development and progression of several types of tumors, including renal cell carcinoma and breast cancer for which it is already available in the UK. Everolimus has now been proven to slow progression of NETs of GI, lung or pancreatic origin and is the first mTOR inhibitor available in the UK for the treatment of this disease.