opdivo_1_1

Opdivo to be made available to UK melanoma patients via the Cancer Drugs Fund

pharmafile | November 30, 2018 | News story | Medical Communications, Sales and Marketing BMS, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cancer, Cancer Drugs Fund, NICE, UK, melanoma, pharma 

Bristol-Myers Squibb’s blockbuster immunotherapy Opdivo (nivolumab) is set to be made available to patients in the UK via the Cancer Drugs Fund as a treatment option for melanoma, NICE has revealed, in a U-turn on a ruling made earlier this year.

Specifically, Opdivo will be reimbursed to patients with stage 3 and 4 melanoma who have lymph node involvement and who have previously undergone surgery – a group of eligible patients which NICE estimates numbers around 1,480.

The organisation also confirmed that the submitted findings suggested that there was potential for Opdivo to be a cost-effective use of resources for routine NHS use, but further clinical data would be needed on its efficacy in improving recurrence-free and overall survival. NICE did note that the data already indicates that Opdivo is superior to compared to BMS’ other immunotherapy Yervoy in the former of the two metrics.  

The drug’s availability on the CDF will help allow these data to be procured, as well as follow-up findings from the ongoing CheckMate 238 trial. There are currently no immunotherapy products recommended by NICE in this indication.

The final appraisal document is open for appeal until 14 December 2018.  

Matt Fellows

Related Content

national-cancer-institute-kmvohcb-w5g-unsplash_1

First patient dosed in AdvanCell’s phase 1/2 trial for prostate cancer treatment

AdvanCell has announced that the first patient has been dosed with 212Pb-ADVC001 in its phase …

GSK shares results from phase 3 RUBY trial of Jemperli for endometrial cancer treatment

GSK has announced positive headline results from an analysis of part 1 of the RUBY/ENGOT-EN6/GOG3031/NSGO …

BMS acquires Mirati Therapeutics for $4.8bn

Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) and Mirati Therapeutics have announced that they have entered into a …

Latest content