NICE holds second consultation on Alimta for lung cancer maintenance

The UK’s drugs watchdog the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is holding a second consultation on draft guidance for Alimta (pemetrexed) from US drug major Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY).

The NICE recently published a Final Appraisal Determination (FAD), not recommending pemetrexed for the maintenance treatment of lung cancer ( The Pharma Letter June 13). During the appeal process a procedural error was identified relating to the release of the evidence review group’s exploratory amendments to the manufacturer’s model. As a consequence, the FAD has been retracted and, instead, an Appraisal Consultation Document (ACD) has been released for public consultation.

Commenting on the draft recommendations, Sir Andrew Dillon, chief executive of the NICE, said: “NICE already recommends pemetrexed as a treatment option for maintenance treatment following a different first line treatment. However, in this case, pemetrexed as maintenance treatment following combination therapy with cisplatin, although effective, the benefits did not justify the costs. It is disappointing not to be able to recommend pemetrexed in this draft guidance, but we can only recommend treatments which are both clinically and cost effective.”