Posted by Michael Wonder on 27 Nov 2017
Merck invited to submit a CDF proposal for Merkel cell cancer drug
27 November 2017 - NICE has asked Merck to submit a Cancer Drugs Fund proposal for an immunotherapy called avelumab.
Avelumab (Bavencio) was assessed by NICE as a treatment for people who have Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare type of skin cancer.
The NICE committee found current clinical data suggests avelumab can extend patient survival compared with chemotherapy. However, the evidence is from one small trial and data is still being collected, so the results are uncertain. Therefore, NICE are inviting Merck to submit a Cancer Drugs Fund proposal for avelumab.
