UK's NICE says 'no' to Novartis Tasigna and B-MS Sprycel, but better news on Afinitor

The UK’s drug rationing body the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) yesterday published its new draft guidance on leukemia drugs Sprycel (dasatinib from Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) and high-dose Glivec (imatinib) and Tasigna (nilotinib), both from Novartis (NOVN: VX), saying it has not been able to recommend the products for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) that is resistant to standard-dose imatinib on the National Health Service.

In response to the draft guidance, Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of the NICE, said: "The evidence for the effectiveness of dasatinib, high-dose imatinib and nilotinib is very weak. When we recommend the use of very expensive treatments, we need to be confident that they bring sufficient additional benefit to justify their cost."

Sprycel and Tasigna cost over £30,000 ($50,400) per patient per year. Novartis has also recently increased the price of Glivec, which means the cost per patient is now over £40,000 per year for the high dose of 800mg, the NICE noted. Also, CML is a chronic condition, meaning the drugs would be used for a long period of time.