NICE Gives Green Light ToBendamustine In Draft Guidance

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BlankNICE Gives Green Light To Leukaemia Drug In Draft Guidance

04 Jan 2011

A treatment that could help to extend the lives of patients with the most common

form of leukaemia is a step closer to being made available in the NHS following

the publication of positive draft guidance from the National Institute for

Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Issued recently, the draft guidance

recommends the use of bendamustine (Levact, Napp Pharmaceuticals) as a

first-line treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (Binet

stage B or C) for whom a type of intensive treatment called fludarabine

combination chemotherapy is not appropriate. This is in line with the drug's

marketing authorisation.

Dr Carole Longson, Health Technology Evaluation Centre Director at NICE said:

" Around 2,400 people are diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in the UK

each year. Most patients will receive fludarabine combination chemotherapy but

this is a very intensive treatment and is not suitable for everyone. For those

who cannot receive this chemotherapy, there are very few treatment options left.

Bendamustine was shown to slow the growth and spread of the cancer, on average,

by over 13 months more than chlorambucil, which is the only other drug available

for those unable to have fludarabine chemotherapy. This more than justifies the

extra cost that the NHS will need to pay for the treatment, which in itself is

low. "

Due to the strength of the evidence for bendamustine that was presented to the

Appraisal Committee, it was deemed appropriate to proceed straight to the final

stage of guidance development, which is to give consultees an opportunity to

appeal against the proposed recommendation. This is designed to speed up the

process of publishing positive guidance to the NHS so that patients can receive

new treatments quicker.

Tony Gavin, Director of Cancer Campaigning and Patient Advocacy at Leukaemia

CARE, said: " This positive recommendation by NICE is great news for patients,

particularly since the treatment options for patients with CLL are very limited.

Bendamustine can and will help to make a real difference to people's lives. We

at Leukaemia CARE are looking forward to this guidance being published as soon

as possible so that patients can start receiving this treatment as soon as their

doctor thinks they need it. "