NICE issues guidance against RCC drugs

The U.K.'s NICE issued guidance recommending against the use of four drugs to treat advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after an appeals panel dismissed appeals of the agency's final appraisal determination rebuffing the drugs. The guidance evaluated Avastin bevacizumab from Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) and Torisel temsirolimus from Wyeth (NYSE:WYE) as first-line treatment, Nexavar sorafenib from Bayer AG (Xetra:BAY) and Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ONXX) as both first- and second-line treatment, and Sutent sunitinib from Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) as second-line treatment. The drugs are all approved for RCC in the U.K. NICE has issued guidance recommending Sutent for first-line use. ...