Posted by Michael Wonder on 10 Sep 2018
Roche faces UK pricing row over multiple sclerosis drug Ocrevus
10 September 2018 - Roche faces a fresh row over drug pricing in Britain, following a decision by the body responsible for medicine use within the state health service not to approve its drug Ocrevus for treating a highly disabling form of multiple sclerosis.
In June, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence endorsed Ocrevus for relapsing-remitting MS - the most common type of the disease - but it has now rejected it for the rarer and more severe primary-progressive form of MS.
Ocrevus is the only available treatment for primary-progressive MS, while there are several drugs for relapsing-remitting MS, and Roche UK general manager Richard Erwin said Monday’s decision was “devastating news” for patients.
