NICE draft guidance recommends use of Bavencio in Merkel cell carcinoma.- Merck KGaA and Pfizer.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published draft guidelines recommending Bavencio (avelumab), from Merck KGaA and Pfizer, for use in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma that has spread through the body and who have previously been treated with chemotherapy.
NICE has also recommended the treatment for use on the Cancer Drugs Fund as a first-line treatment for the disease, after concluding that it has the potential to be cost effective. The recommendation is based in part on data from the Phase II trial JAVELIN Merkel 200 in which the drug created a durable response. Some 31.8 percent of 88 patients achieved an objective response, including eight complete responses and 20 partial responses.
Comment: Bavencio has accelerated approval from the FDA and is marketed in the US by Pfizer.The drug was EU approved in September 2017.
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