NICE authorises Takeda’s Alunbrig for ALK-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer
pharmafile | December 10, 2020 | News story | Sales and Marketing | ALK-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer, Alunbrig, NICE, Takeda
NICE has published its final appraisal of Takeda’s Alunbrig (brigatinib), recommending the therapy for the treatment of ALK-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients who have not already been treated with an ALK inhibitor.
Patients in England, Wales and Northern Ireland within this patient population will now be able to access the drug via the NHS.
To reach the decision, NICE reviewed two years of Phase 3 follow-up which demonstrated that Alunbrig cut the risk of disease progression or death in half compared to Pfizer’s Xalkori (crizotinib), with a median progression-free survival of 24 months over the 11 months shown by Pfizer’s drug.
Furthermore, patients with brain metastases saw their risk of intracranial disease progression or death reduced by two-thirds with Alunbrig over Xalkori, according to Takeda.
“This is fantastic news for patients; not only does it increase our treatment options, but it also provides reassurance to patients that their brains are being protected. As an ALK-positive patient myself, I know the fear of treatment failure and progression in the brain every time I visit the hospital for a scan,” explained Debra Montague, Chair of ALK Positive UK.
“It is hard enough for people in the prime of their lives to deal with an ALK-positive lung cancer diagnosis,” she added, “but imagine being told that there is potential for disease to progress to your brain that could impact your prognosis and ability to live a normal life. Treatments like brigatinib are vital to keeping patients alive for as long as possible, with a good quality of life, so it is so important that it is now available on the NHS.”
Matt Fellows
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