NICE Approves Rucaparib for Ovarian Cancer

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Clovis Oncology’s Rubraca (rucaparib) for women with relapsed ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer that has responded to chemotherapy, reversing the committee’s previous decision.

NICE previously turned down the drug due to uncertainties in clinical evidence and the price of the drug. Trials showed that the drug prevents cancer progression for twice as long as a placebo, but the overall extended life expectancy is unclear.

NICE revised its initial recommendation because Clovis proposed an alternative price. This, in combination with long-term survival data, gives the drug the potential to be cost-effective for coverage by the NHS, the institute said.