UK's NICE OKs Merck KGaA's Erbitux for mCRC

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved Erbitux (cetuximab) in combination with chemotherapy as the  first-line treatment of bowel cancer. The decision is a reversal of  earlier advice to block the coverage by the UK National Health Service  outside Scotland of the agent, which is marketed by Merck Serono, a  fully-owned unit of Germany-based drugmaker Merck KGaA.

Bowel Cancer UK's Ian Beaumont was selected as a patient expert in  NICE's appraisal of this drug and the charity nominated its chief  medical advisor, Rob Glynne-Jones, a consultant clinical oncologist at  Mount Vernon Hospital. Mr Beaumont said: "Bowel Cancer UK warmly  welcomes this decision by [the] NICE, which is excellent news for  patients with advanced bowel cancer, as it is going to increase their  chances of cure. The biological agent cetuximab has already proved to be  highly effective in the third-line treatment of bowel cancer, despite  not being approved by [the] NICE in that setting. We hope that this  positive ruling...heralds a new era in the treatment of the disease, in  which more patients get to benefit from cetuximab and other effective  drugs."

Dr Glynne-Jones said that the "NICE's recommendation for the NHS funding  of cetuximab represents a genuine milestone in the progress of targeted  cancer therapy in the UK. There is a wealth of evidence supporting  cetuximab's use in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer, so it is  very exciting that it will now be available to patients on the NHS."  According to the UK's public broadcaster, the BBC, the latest NICE's  move was influenced by Merck's offer to cut the price of a course of  treatment by 16%.