UK NICE U-turn now recommends Imlygic (talimogene laherparepvec) for unresectable, regionally or distantly metastatic (Stage IIIB, IIIC or IVM1a) melanoma- Amgen

NICE has issued final guidance overturning its earlier recommendation, and now endorsing Imlygic (talimogene laherparepvec), from Amgen, as an option for treating unresectable, regionally or distantly metastatic (Stage IIIB, IIIC or IVM1a) melanoma that has not spread to bone, brain, lung or other internal organs, but only if: treatment with systemic immunotherapies is not suitable and; the company provides it with the discount agreed in the patient access scheme.

Also known as T-Vec, the treatment is a modified form of the herpes simplex virus type-1 approved by European regulators in 2015 as an oncolytic immunotherapy to treat adults with unresectable melanoma.

Comment:Amgen is collaborating with Merck on a study combining the PD-1-blocking Keytruda with Imlygic in melanoma and head and neck cancer. And Roche has agreed to combine its atezolizumab, a PD-L1 therapy, with Imlygic in breast and colon cancers.