NICE Appeals Panel Sides with Novartis over Migraine Treatment

An appeals panel of the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) found that the agency needs to request evidence that Novartis’ Aimovig (erenumab) is effective in a subgroup of patients with chronic migraine.

The panel found that NICE failed to consider the cost-effectiveness of erenumab versus the best supportive care in individuals with chronic migraine who had failed to benefit from the comparator drug (botulinum toxin) or when that was contra-indicated.

The appeal panel felt that this was a “plausible clinical use of the drug,” and that it was unreasonable not to consider relevant data regarding this use.

Based on the new evidence, NICE will reconsider its prior negative recommendation for coverage of the drug through the National Health Service.