NICE rebuffs Hycamtin

The U.K.'s NICE issued a preliminary appraisal recommending against the use of Hycamtin topotecan from GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE:GSK; NYSE:GSK) in combination with cisplatin to treat recurrent or stage IVB cervical cancer. Hycamtin, a topoisomerase inhibitor, is approved in combination with cisplatin to treat patients with carcinoma of the cervix that is recurrent after radiotherapy, and to treat patients with stage IVB disease. The appraisal committee's analysis found that paclitaxel plus cisplatin was more effective and less costly vs. Hycamtin plus cisplatin in the licensed indication.

GSK's analysis showed an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of L10,928 ($17,833) and L17,974 ($29,332) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained in cisplatin-naïve patients and the licensed indication, respectively. The committee's analysis showed an ICER of L26,800-L34,000 and L59,000-L117,000 per QALY gained, respectively. It is generally accepted that a technology must have an incremental cost less than or equal to L20,000-L30,000 per QALY for the agency to consider it cost effective. ...