The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) recently published advice pertaining to acceptance of 4 new drugs for use by NHS Scotland.
Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg) has been accepted for treating acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Current primary treatment for AML is an intensive chemotherapy regimen. Those achieving remission have a high risk of relapse. Addition of gemtuzumab ozogamicin to the standard chemotherapy regimen may prolong the period before relapse. The acceptance came after its evaluation through the Patient and Clinician Engagement process.
Anakinra (Kineret) has been accepted for treating Still’s disease, a rare kind of inflammatory arthritis with similarities to rheumatoid arthritis. Anakinra could potentially improve the quality of life of patients affected with both the juvenile and adult-onset forms of Still’s disease.
A new formulation of hydrocortisone (Alkindi) has been accepted for treating adrenal insufficiency in infants, children and adolescents. The advantage of the new formulation is more accurate dosing and lack of bitter taste allowing its easier administration by parents and carers.
The fourth drug accepted is ixekizumab (Taltz), a biologic therapy for psoriatic arthritis. Ixekizumab could serve as a treatment option for patients with no or inadequate response to previous conventional and biologic therapies.
Cabozantinib (Cabometyx) for treating advanced renal cell carcinoma was not accepted by SMC following uncertainty in the company’s evidence pertaining to its cost-effectiveness in comparison with the already available treatment options in NHS Scotland.