NICE turns down Bayer’s tumour-agnostic therapy Vitrakvi over evidence concerns

pharmafile | January 20, 2020 | News story | Sales and Marketing |  Bayer, Cancer, NICE, Vitravki 

UK drug watchdog NICE has turned down Bayer’s Vitrakvi (larotrectinib) as a tumour-agnostic treatment solution on the NHS after it could not consider it a cost-effective use of the health service’s limited resources due to a lack of evidence.

The therapy was being considered in the treatment of advanced neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) fusion-positive solid tumours in adults and children who have no satisfactory treatment options.

In the same announcement, NICE revealed that Roche’s Rozlytrek (entrectinib) could instead become the first histology-independent cancer drug to be recommended for NHS use, should it secure marketing authorisation in Europe.

Where conventional cancer drugs are indicated for treatment depending on the location of the primary tumour within the body, tumour-agnostic therapies focus on a cancer’s genetic and molecular characteristics.

Advertisement

In clinical studies, Vitrakvi caused shrinkage in tumours with NTRK gene fusions, but data comparing this efficacy to other therapies was not provided. NTRK gene fusions are thought to be a driver of tumour growth and are present in less than 1% of common tumours, though they are much more prevalent in rare cancers. Between 600 and 700 patients in the UK are thought to be affected, with no satisfactory treatment currently available.

Matt Fellows

Related Content

NICE recommends daratumumab quadruplet for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

NICE has published final draft guidance recommending daratumumab with bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone (D-VRd) for …

AI in pharma: From lab development to patient impact

In the decade to 2025, AI use in vaccine development has increased markedly but is …

NICE recommends allergy immunotherapy tablets for younger children

NICE has recommended two sublingual immunotherapy tablets for children with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis …

The Gateway to Local Adoption Series

Latest content