GSK appeals UK's NICE refusal for Tyverb

The world's second-largest drugmaker, UK-headquartered GlaxoSmithKline, has confirmed its intention to launch an appeal against the decision of  the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to  refuse National Health Service coverage of the drug major's Tyverb  (lapatinib) in the UK, except Scotland, for the treatment of an  aggressive form of advanced breast cancer (Marketletter March 16). In a  statement, GSK said that, "if successful, the appeal will enable the NHS  to offer a similar level of access to lapatinib as other European Union  countries."

Among the EU nations where Tyverb is reimbursed are Ireland, Slovenia  and Slovakia, as well as the major European markets of France, Germany,  Italy and Spain.

GSK added that "lapatinib has been shown to significantly delay the  progression of the cancer, helping to control it when women whose  disease returned despite treatment with standard chemotherapies and  [Swiss drug major Roche's] Herceptin (trastuzumab). For these women, who  have very few treatment options available, lapatinib offers a chance of  precious, additional time without their disease progressing."