UK's NICE says no to Novartis' Jakavi for enlarged spleen

UK drugs watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published final draft guidance not recommending Swiss drug major Novartis’ (NOVN: VX) Jakavi (ruxolitinib) for the treatment of disease-related splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) or its symptoms in adults with primary myelofibrosis, or post polycythemia vera myelofibrosis or post essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis.

The NICE’s independent Appraisal Committee concluded that ruxolitinib was clinically effective in reducing spleen size and symptoms such as itch and fatigue, but could not be considered a cost-effective use of National Health Service resources compared with best available therapy for treating disease-related splenomegaly or symptoms in adults with myelofibrosis. It concluded that although it was plausible that ruxolitinib could offer an overall survival benefit, the reason for this remained unclear because of uncertainties in the evidence.