NICE rejects Abraxane/gemcitabine combination for Pancreatic Cancer- Celgene

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published new recommendations thatT reject the use of Abraxane (nab-paclitaxel) from Celgene to treat patients with advanced Pancreatic Cancer. Abraxane a formulation of the chemotherapy paclitaxel, is not as effective as standard therapy and is more expensive, and thereby fails to provide value-for-money criteria.

NICE says that data provided by Celgene shows that the chemotherapy regimen FOLFIRINOX, a first-line option for patients with the disease, was more clinically effective than the Abraxane/gemcitabine combination. Although the Abraxane/gemcitabine combination was more effective than gemcitabine alone, it resulted in more serious side effects.