NICE rebuffs CML drugs

The U.K.'s NICE issued draft guidance recommending against three drugs to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in patients resistant to the standard 400 mg dose of Glivec imatinib from Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS; SIX:NOVN). The committee rebuffed Sprycel dasatinib from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE:BMY), Novartis' Tasigna nilotinib and the higher, 800 mg dose of Glivec. NICE CEO Andrew Dillon said the evidence for the effectiveness of the three drugs is "very weak." CML affects about 560 people in the U.K. each year, many of whom are treated by the standard Glivec dose.

NICE said the cost of Sprycel and Tasigna is greater than L30,000 ($50,040) per patient per year, while high dose Glivec costs more than L40,000 ($66,720) per patient per year. Neither company has submitted a patient access scheme. ...