NICE issues Crohn's guidance

The U.K.'s NICE issued a preliminary appraisal recommending against the use of Humira adalimumab from Abbott (NYSE:ABT) and Remicade infliximab from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Schering-Plough (NYSE:SGP) as regular maintenance treatment to prevent relapse of Crohn's disease. The guidance did recommend use of the drugs as episodic treatments for severe active, non-fistulizing Crohn's disease. The appraisal also recommends Remicade as an episodic treatment for fistulizing Crohn's disease and for children and adolescents with severe Crohn's disease.

The new appraisal would update NICE's 2002 guidance on Remicade, in part to include children and adolescents for whom the drug has since been approved. Comments are due by Oct. 7, with a second appraisal committee meeting scheduled for Oct. 22. The appraisal can be found at http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=article&o=41985 ...