20 May 2016 - NICE has recommended Novartis's Zykadia (ceritinib) for lung cancer in final guidance, after the manufacturer agreed to supply the drug at a discount to the National Health Service.

NICE said Zykadia is recommended in line with its marketing authorisation, as an option for advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive non-small cell lung cancer in adults who have previously had Pfizer's Xalkori (crizotinib). Final guidance is expected to be published in June.

According to NICE, the list price is £4,923 for a 30-day supply, but Novartis has agreed a commercially confidential discount.

Without the discount, NICE said the cost per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) was almost £80,000, but with the discount agreed in a patient access scheme the cost fell below £50,000 per QALY.

NICE is willing to accept this cost, which is still higher than its £30,000 per QALY threshold above which it usually rejects drugs, because end-of-life criteria were met.

For more details, go to: http://pharmaphorum.com/news/nice-recommends-novartis-lung-cancer-drug-zykadia??utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal&mrkid=4579618&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT0dKaU1XVmpPRGczTmpjMiIsInQiOiJJQnNIczRpRzhNUE1CeU9cL3JJQTB4RDVPTHp2aENBT0o2Y2hzR09qSEFLeWROTnFJRWl5T0E3MDNYZ2xRRUQ4RGUzYWxTalJqNTBZNmhDNUxRWjJZMDVXUkJuXC9lQTBxbkhhSzFIMlZqZlg4PSJ9