(Reuters) - Leukaemia drug Tasigna has been backed by Britain's healthcare cost watchdog after its maker Novartis agreed to discount the treatment's cost of more than 30,000 pounds per patient per year.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) had previously rejected Tasigna, along with Bristol-Myers Squibb's similarly priced product Sprycel, for treating chronic myeloid leukaemia on the state-funded National Health Service.
It also said in draft guidance in May that it was not able to recommend high-dose Glivec, another Novartis drug for chronic myeloid leukaemia, following a price increase.
Chronic myeloid leukaemia affects about 560 people in the UK a year, most of whom are treated with a drug called imatinib.
Tasigna and Sprycel were equally effective in treating both imatinib-intolerant and imatinib-resistant forms of the disease, NICE said, and the reduction in cost of Tasigna meant it could recommend the drug for use on the NHS.
Novartis had requested that the level of the discount was not disclosed, NICE said Thursday.
The draft recommendation is open for public consultation. Until NICE issues its final guidance, state health service bodies will make decisions locally on the funding of specific drugs.
(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Will Waterman)
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