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NICE rebuffs Kadcyla

April 23, 2014 12:03 AM UTC

The U.K.'s NICE issued draft guidance recommending against the use of Kadcyla trastuzumab emtansine from Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) to treat HER2-positive, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in patients previously treated with the pharma's Herceptin trastuzumab and a taxane -- Kadcyla's approved indication in the EU. The committee said the most plausible incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for Kadcyla compared to Tyverb lapatinib plus Roche's Xeloda capecitabine was L185,000 ($311,022) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained, above the limit normally considered cost-effective. Roche did not submit a patient access scheme. Comments are due May 19. Kadcyla is a humanized mAb against HER2 linked to a DM1 cytotoxic agent from ImmunoGen Inc. (NASDAQ:IMGN). ...