Eisai disagrees with Germany's IQWiG report on epilepsy drug Fycompa

In the assessment report by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) on Japanese drug major Eisai’s (TYO: 4523) Fycompa (perampanel), published yesterday on the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) web site, the institute did not attest an additional benefit for the epilepsy drug.

Comments on the report and its proposed conclusion can be submitted to the G-BA up until January 7, 2013. The G-BA will decide on the additional benefit in March 2013 after reviewing comments and the discussion from an oral hearing of experts end of January. The current IQWiG assessment has no implications on the reimbursement of perampanel or doctors' ability to prescribe this new partial epilepsy treatment. Fycompa was recently approved by the equivalent drugs watchdog in Scotland (The Pharma Letter December 12).