Regulator backs Inlyta, Lucentis and Xtandi for NHS Scotland, but not Bosulif

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) revealed this morning (November 12) that it has accepted US drug behemoth Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) Inlyta (axitinib) for use within NHS Scotland for the treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after failure of prior treatment with sunitinib or a cytokine. Scottish patients are the only patients in the UK currently able to access axitinib routinely on the NHS following a positive health technology assessment (HTA) review.

The SMC decision is in direct contrast to the decision made by the England-based National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) earlier this year which assessed the same clinical and similar cost effectiveness evidence, but did not recommend axitinib. Following an appeal key aspects of the negative decision have been referred back to the NICE’s appraisal committee who must now take all reasonable steps to address the issues on which the appeal has been allowed. Currently, patients in England can access axitinib through the National Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), however the CDF is a short term fix for a fundamental issue with the current NICE process.

Negative on Bosulif