In contrast to draft guidance it issued in September, which recommended that Farydak not be funded for the treatment of multiple myeloma patients in the UK, NICE is now supporting Farydak's use.
NICE today issued a "final appraisal document" which states that
Panobinostat in combination with bortezomib [Velcade] and dexamethasone is recommended, within its marketing authorisation, as an option for treating multiple myeloma, that is, for ‘adult patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least 2 prior regimens including bortezomib and an immunomodulatory agent’ when the company provides panobinostat with the discount agreed in the patient access scheme.
The appraisal document is available online at the NICE website at this link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/GID-TAG477/documents/final-appraisal-determination-document
NICE's "final appraisal documents" are the last set of recommendations published by the body before it issues its formal guidance about whether a drug should be used within the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Each "final appraisal document" is subject to appeal. However, such appeals usually occur only when the final appraisal recommends that a drug not be covered within the NHS. That is not the case with this final appraisal, so the recommendation that Farydak be covered and available to treat UK myeloma patients is likely to be NICE's final guidance regarding use of the drug.
