UK's NICE negative draft guidance for metastatic colorectal cancer drugs Erbitux, Avastin and Vectibix

In new draft guidance issued this week, UK drug watchdog the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) says it is not recommending the use of Erbitux (cetuximab) from Merck Serono, part of Germany’s Merck KGaA (MRK: DE), Swiss drug major Roche’s (ROG: SIX) Avastin (bevacizumab) and US biotech giant Amgen’s (Nasdaq: AMGN) Vectibix (panitumumab) for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer that has progressed after first line chemotherapy.

The draft guidance has been issued for consultation. People who are currently receiving these treatments on the National Health Service should have the option to continue therapy until they and their clinicians consider it appropriate to stop, the agency said.

Commenting on the draft recommendations, Sir Andrew Dillon, chief executive of the NICE, said: "We have already recommended six treatments for various stages of colorectal cancer and are disappointed not to be able to recommend cetuximab, bevacizumab and panitumumab for this stage, but we have to be confident that the benefits justify the cost of the drugs. At present, the independent appraisal committee who drafted the recommendations does not feel it has enough clear evidence, especially in the case of bevacizumab, to be able to recommend these drugs for use on the NHS.”