NICE recommend long-term funding for brentuximab vedotin for adult patients with CD30+ relapsed/refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma

Last month, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a final appraisal recommending long-term funding for Adcetris^® (brentuximab vedotin) as an option for adult patients with CD30+ R/R Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) following an ASCT;¹ a complete change of heart from their draft guidelines published last year.

Back in December 2016, NICE published draft guidelines rejecting use of ADCETRIS^®, despite new evidence and a drop in price, due to “uncertainties” in the evidence.²

However, in the final appraisal, the recommended long-term funding will be made available for ADCETRIS^® as long as Takeda continues to provide the drug at the price agreed with NHS England in the commercial access agreement.

In addition, NICE has recommended funding via the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) for adult patients with CD30+ R/R HL following at least two prior therapies when ASCT or multi-agent chemotherapy is not a treatment option, if the conditions of the managed access agreement are followed.

Takeda’s ADCETRIS^® is currently approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to treat patients with R/R CD30+ Hodgkin Lymphoma after ASCT or after at least 2 previous therapies when ASCT or multi-agent chemotherapy is not a treatment option, and in patients who are at an increased risk of relapse or progression after ASCT. ADCETRIS^® is also indicted by the EMA for patients with R/R sALCL.