NICE has approved larotrectinib (Vitrakvi) for use within the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) as an option for treating neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) fusion-positive solid tumours in adults and children if the disease is locally advanced or metastatic or surgery could cause severe health problems, or there are no satisfactory treatment options.
Larotrectinib is a histology independent cancer treatment that targets all solid tumours with a certain genetic mutation (the NTRK gene fusion) regardless of where the primary tumour is in the body.
This positive recommendation is a change to the initial decision where NICE concluded that the price of larotrectinib was too high to be cost-effective. There was also uncertainty in the clinical evidence as larotrectinib has not been compared with other treatments.
The company has since submitted a new price. Patients will be able to access larotrectinib through the CDF while further data is being collected.
The drug, manufactured by Bayer, is indicated for all solid tumours with confirmed NTRK gene fusions when standard treatments have failed.
Larotrectinib is set to be available initially for patients with confirmed NTRK gene fusion and for those who are most likely to benefit, such as children, teenagers, and young adults with rare cancers.
Testing for all relevant patients will be rolled out as soon as capacity is created in the genetic testing service in the NHS through reduced need for coronavirus tests, NICE said.
