NICE now recommends adjuvant Glivec

The U.K.'s NICE proposed to recommend Glivec imatinib from Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS; SIX:NOVN) as adjuvant treatment for up to three years in adult patients at high-risk for tumor recurrence following complete surgical resection of Kit (CD-117)-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

The decision reverses NICE's August 2010 opinion, when it cited a lack of clinical evidence to support use of the drug by the National Health Service as an adjuvant treatment after surgical removal of a GIST. At the time, NICE pledged to review new clinical evidence when it became available. ...