NICE reverses prior decision, backs Lucentis in DME

The U.K.'s NICE issued new draft guidance recommending Lucentis ranibizumab from Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS; SIX:NOVN) for diabetic macular edema (DME), but in a population narrower than the one the committee rebuffed last year. NICE now recommends Lucentis for DME patients with central retinal thickness of at least 400 um, citing Novartis' submission of a revised patient access scheme and updated analyses showing the drug is most effective in patients with thicker retinas. The committee said the most plausible incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the subgroup would be under L25,000 ($40,357) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained, compared to an ICER above L30,000 ($48,429) per QALY for all DME patients regardless of retinal thickness. Final guidance is expected in February 2013. ...