NICE rebuffs Roche's Gazyvaro for CLL

The U.K.'s NICE issued draft guidance recommending against the use of Gazyvaro obinutuzumab from Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) in combination with chlorambucil as first-line therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in patients unsuitable for fludarabine-based therapy.

NICE said Gazyvaro is clinically effective, but that the most likely incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were above the range NHS England typically deems cost effective. NICE said one course of Gazyvaro treatment, excluding value-added tax (VAT), costs L26,496 ($43,022). ...