UK's NICE revokes NHS use of Novartis' Xolair for asthma in children and adults

The UK drugs watchdog the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), in draft guidance published today (November 9), has recommended that Swiss drug major Novartis’ (NOVN: VX) Xolair (omalizumab) should no longer be made available on the National Health Service for treating severe, persistent allergic asthma in adults and children.

This is draft guidance only but constitutes a proposal to revoke existing positive NICE guidance for omalizumab in patients aged 12 years and older (TA133)2. Novartis says it remains confident that Xolair is a cost-effective option for the treatment of severe persistent allergic asthma.

“NICE’s proposed retraction of its existing guidance is concerning for people with severe persistent allergic asthma. These people have severe symptoms of asthma with increased rates of mortality, live in fear of life-threatening attacks and endure frequent hospitalisations, leading to a negative impact on their day-to-day quality of life and a heavy burden on NHS resources. In addition, the other option is oral corticosteroids which cause major medical and psychological side effects, not least because of detrimental impact on body image,” said Rob Niven, Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, quoted by Novartis.