Health officials have approved life-extending pill for patients with an aggressive form of lung cancer. Vizimpro has been recommended as a first-line treatment for people with a type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has approved the drug to be prescribed on the NHS. This pill will be available for adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who have been tested positive for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation.
Clinical trials have shown that people who took dacomitinib had longer overall survival rates as compared to those who took gefitinib, a drug already recommended by NICE. It was also found to increase the length of time before the disease worsened. However, it was noted that Vizimpor had a higher incidence of side effects than AZ drug, so lower dose may be needed.
“Our committee acknowledged that dacomitinib had the potential to extend life for people with this type of lung cancer more than existing treatments currently available on the NHS,” said Meindert Boysen, director of the Centre for Health Technology Evaluation at NICE.
NICE has revealed citing clinical trial results that patients using dacomitinib have longer overall survival rates than those who use the drugs already on NHS. The drug also helps in enhancing the length of time before the disease worsens.
The manufacturers expect that around 1477 people would benefit from this treatment annually. The list price of Vizimpro is £2,703 per pack of 30 capsules but will be available to NHS with a confidential discount. Three other drugs are already available on NHS for this type of untreated EGFR-positive NSCLC and these are Afatinib, Gefitinib and Erlotinib.
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