Press release -

Prostate Cancer UK cautiously welcomes NICE decision on advanced prostate cancer drug

Today the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has released final guidance on the use of advanced prostate cancer drug enzalutamide in England and Wales, stating that it is now approved for use on the NHS for men who have already been treated with the chemotherapy drug docetaxel.

This is good news for men because the outright restriction around the use of enzalutamide after treatment with abiraterone - the only other treatment available for men at this stage - has been removed. This is a change from previous drafts, the first of which contained no restriction at all and the second which had proposed a flat ban on use in this way. The Scottish Medicines Consortium approved enzalutamide in November 2013 with no restriction around abiraterone.

Since January Prostate Cancer UK has been spearheading a campaign for the removal of this restriction, with over 13,500 people signing the charity’s petition alongside widespread support from high profile figures such as Sir Michael Parkinson and other organisations such as Tackle Prostate Cancer.

Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK said: “We are pleased that overall enzalutamide has been approved in England and Wales and that the long contested blanket restriction around use after abiraterone has been lifted. By removing the outright ban, NICE has stated that there is no clinical reason for enzalutamide not being prescribed after abiraterone. However we are not currently clear as to what this ruling will truly mean in reality for the men across the country who have exhausted all other options and are grappling with the final stages of this cruel disease. The bottom line is, will these men be given the potential of extra time with their loved ones or not?

“We strongly expect that after eight long months of dithering NICE has done the right thing, and that men across England and Wales can access this vital drug now. The priority is doing the right thing by those who are standing on the edge of the abyss today and we need to be sure that they are going to start being prescribed the treatment before we confirm our course of action. If it transpires in reality that this is a de facto restriction thinly veiled by complex prose, we will be holding relevant parties to account and will continue our fight to ensure men are not denied enzalutamide after abiraterone.”

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Topics

  • Health Organisations

Categories

  • nice
  • enzalutamide
  • owen sharp

Notes to Editors:

About enzalutamide:
• NICE appraised the use of enzalutamide for the treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regime


• Prostate Cancer UK encouraged people affected by prostate cancer to respond to NICE’s consultation on this draft guidance. NICE’s consultation ran until 18 February 2014.

  • A previous draft decision released in October 2013 did not limit the use of enzalutamide only to those men who had not previously been given abiraterone. A second draft decision in January 2014 put that restriction in place. This third and final guidance does not cover the use of enzalutamide after abiraterone.
  • Additionally, in the first draft guidance, enzalutamide was only recommended for people whose disease has progressed during or after one docetaxel-containing chemotherapy regimen. This limitation was removed in the second draft and it is now recommended for people whose disease has progressed during or after any number of docetaxel-containing chemotherapy regimens.
  • Enzalutamide was been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium in November 2013 for treatment of adult men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) whose disease has progressed on or after docetaxel therapy.
    • NICE decisions are often adopted in Northern Ireland after local review

    • About Prostate Cancer UK:
    • Prostate Cancer UK fights to help more men survive prostate cancer and enjoy a better quality of life. We support men and provide vital information. We find answers by funding research into causes and treatments. And we lead change, raising the profile of the disease and improving care. We believe that men deserve better.
  • Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in the UK. Over 40,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. Every hour 1 man dies from prostate cancer. One in four Black men will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives.
  • Anyone with concerns about prostate cancer can call Prostate Cancer UK's confidential Helpline on 0800 074 8383 or visit www.prostatecanceruk.org. The helpline is free to landlines, staffed by specialist nurses, and open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday with late opening until 8pm on Wednesdays.

    • About Men United
    • Men United v Prostate Cancer is our call for men to join together in a movement against the common enemy of prostate cancer. The aim is to build a united front of men against this disease. We want to get the message out about one of the UK’s biggest man killers, support men affected by it, and intensify the search for more reliable tests and treatments for the future.
  • Men are being asked to sign for Men United by visiting www.prostatecanceruk.org/menunited where they can also test their health knowledge by taking a quick quiz.