NICE recommends Vizimpro to treat Non Small Lung Cancer patients with EGFR mutation

NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) announces that Vizimpro (dacomitinib) will be available on the NHS for adults with locally advanced or metastatic Non Small Lung Cancer, who have tested positive for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. This is a change from the committee’s initial decision which found dacomitinib to not be a cost-effective use of NHS resources.

Clinical trial results showed that people who took dacomitinib had longer overall survival rates than those who took gefitinib (34.1 months compared with 26.8 months), a drug already recommended by NICE. Dacomitinib also increased the length of time before the disease worsened (14.7 months for dacomitinib compared with 9.2 months for gefitinib). It was however noted that dacomitinib had a higher incidence of side effects than gefitinib, so a lower dose may be needed.

Responsible pricing by the company has allowed the committee to reconsider their initial decision. This has led to the positive recommendation allowing patients to benefit from this innovative treatment on the NHS.