NICE recommends Bayer's Eylea for UK patients with BRVO

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Eylea (aflibercept) as a cost-effective first-line treatment option for adults with visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) within final guidance, according to the drug’s maker, Germany’s Bayer (BAYN: DE).

The NICE, the cost-effectiveness watchdog for England and Wales, concluded within the final guidance that aflibercept is more cost effective than laser photocoagulation (existing first-line treatment) for untreated visual impairment caused by macular edema secondary to BRVO. The NICE also concluded that aflibercept is more clinically effective when given before, rather than after, laser photocoagulation.Following full guidance, the National Health Service in England and Wales now has 90 days to implement the guidance to ensure that all eligible patients have access to aflibercept as soon as possible.

This positive decision means that over 13,000 patientswill have first-line access to an anti-VEGF treatment that has been proven to achieve superior improvements in vision compared to existing first-line treatment (laser).Bayer is pleased that NICE has recognized the value of aflibercept in this patient population and that all patients, including those newly diagnosed, will have access to treatment that reflects the Royal College of Ophthalmologists treatment guidelines.