NICE's Velcade gotcha

Although the U.K.'s NICE has relented to provision of Velcade bortezomib for multiple myeloma patients under its pay-for-performance agreement with Janssen-Cilag Ltd., it has found another way to limit reimbursement for the drug that patient groups say amounts to moving the goalposts.

NICE stuck by its plan to recommend a full course of eight cycles of Velcade only if patients show a complete or partial response after four cycles, with the pharma company rebating payments for patients who fail treatment...