NICE requests more data on AstraZeneca's Iressa for NSC lung cancer, notably on cost effectiveness

In draft guidance published today, the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has asked Anglo-Swedish drug major AstraZeneca to provide more data on the effectiveness of its product Iressa (gefitinib, as a treatment for locally-advanced or metastatic non small cell lung cancer.

This draft guidance has been issued for consultation and AstraZeneca now has an opportunity to respond to the independent Appraisal Committee's considerations and requests. The NICE has requested further exploration of progression-free survival and overall survival beyond the timeframe of a study called the Iressa Pan Asian Study (IPASS). It has also requested further cost effectiveness analysis for this exploration.

Carole Longson of the Health Technology Evaluation Centre Director at the NICE, said: 'Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK, with around 38,000 people diagnosed every year. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for around 80% of all cases. NICE has already recommended a number of treatments for this condition and hoped to add gefitinib as an option for patients and their clinicians to consider. However, in this instance, the Appraisal Committee could not assess whether gefitinib is a cost-effective treatment option because it did not have sufficient information to do so. The next step in the NICE process is for the manufacturer to consider the Committee's comments and respond to its concerns.'