NICE again rebuffs Nexavar for HCC

In newly issued draft guidance, the U.K.'s NICE said Nexavar sorafenib from Bayer AG (Xetra:BAYN) is not cost-effective to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in adults when surgical or locoregional therapies have failed or are not suitable. The therapy is an inhibitor of CRAF (RAF1) and multiple receptor tyrosine kinases.

NICE had recommended against Nexavar's use for HCC in 2010, but the drug was subsequently covered by the country's Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF). The committee is reappraising drugs that have been available via the CDF in connection with the fund's relaunch last month (see BioCentury Extra, July 29). ...