NICE rebuffs Stelara for psoriatic arthritis

The U.K.'s NICE issued Stelara ustekinumab from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) to treat active psoriatic arthritis with or without methotrexate in adults with an inadequate response to DMARDs -- one of Stelara's approved EU indications. In TNF alpha inhibitor-naïve patients, the committee said Stelara was more expensive and less effective than one or more TNF alpha inhibitors. In TNF alpha inhibitor-experienced patients and those for whom TNF alpha inhibitors are not appropriate, NICE said the most plausible incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) for Stelara is "likely to exceed" L30,000 ($49,095). Comments are due Jan. 17. ...