NICE recommends Entyvio for UC

The UK drug watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has today published final Technology Appraisal Guidance (TAG) for Entyvio (vedolizumab) from Japan’s largest drugmaker Takeda (TYO: 4502) for ulcerative colitis (UC).

Entyvio is the first gut-selective treatment for UC and is recommended for use on the National Health Service (NHS) for adults with moderately to severely active UC across its full licensed indication. NICE found that Entyvio provides a further treatment option when conventional therapy or TNF-alpha inhibitors either doesn’t work well, has stopped working or can’t be tolerated. The drug is recommended on the basis that it will be provided to the NHS at a reduced price.

A Takeda spokesman said: “NICE recognized that vedolizumab is an innovative, cost effective option, which represents a step change in treatment because of its novel mode of action, providing long-term remission from symptoms, with a safety profile similar to placebo.”