AbbVie, J&J sales and marketing update

The U.K.’s NICE issued draft guidance recommending against the use of Imbruvica ibrutinib from Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie to treat Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia. The agency also recommended against Imbruvica’s inclusion in the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) for the indication.

NICE said there was “considerable uncertainty” of Imbruvica’s clinical benefit, particularly concerning the drug’s long-term effects on progression and survival. NICE said the incremental cost-effective ratios (ICERs) presented by the sponsor were substantially above the range that NICE considers cost-effective. NICE said that Imbruvica should not be included in the CDF because “it is unlikely that further data collection would lead to a more favorable cost-effectiveness estimate” within two years. ...