Genzyme MS drug passes UK hurdle
Genzyme said its multiple sclerosis treatment, Lemtrada, has been recommended for reimbursement in the United Kingdom’s health care system.
According to a Multiple Sclerosis Society statement, the National Health Service now has three months to make the once-a-year treatment available in hospitals.
The company said the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care in the country, found that the drug should be reimbursed following an earlier ruling that Lemtrada is a “cost effective use” of the system’s resources for treating MS, according to a statement from the Cambridge-based drug maker, which has operations in Framingham.
The final guidance follows the European Commission’s granting of marketing authorization for Lemtrada in September 2013.
“The fact that NICE has followed the European Commission decision on patient eligibility for Lemtrada marks a step change in the clinical approach to treating MS,” said Dr. Alasdair Coles of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge, in a statement.
“With this final guidance, the responsibility for treatment decisions with Lemtrada is now handed over to UK healthcare professionals and their patients.”
Genzyme is waiting for similar approval in the U.S. Lemtrada was rejected in December by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the company appealed the decision in April.
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