BioCentury
ARTICLE | Company News

NICE issues final guidances in DME

June 3, 2015 12:22 AM UTC

The U.K.'s NICE issued final draft guidances recommending the use of Eylea aflibercept from Bayer AG (Xetra:BAYN) and Ozurdex dexamethasone intravitreal implant ( SK-0503) from Actavis plc (NYSE:ACT) to treat diabetic macular edema (DME).

NICE recommended that Eylea be used only when a patient's eye has a central retinal thickness of at least 400 um at the start of treatment and when Bayer provides a discount according to a patient access scheme it has agreed upon with the Department of Health. Bayer has ex-U.S. rights from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN) to the human fusion protein that binds all forms of VEGF-A and placental growth factor ( PGF; PIGF). FDA approved the drug in March to treat DME; it is approved in the U.S. and EU for other ophthalmic indications (see BioCentury Extra, March 25). ...