NICE Recommends AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The UK’s National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso (osimertinib) for National Health Service (NHS) use for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor- (EGFR) positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Clinical trial data showed that Tagrisso stalled cancer growth longer than two other drugs, erlotinib or gefitinib, NICE said. But it noted that there is no direct evidence comparing the drug with afatinib, which may be more effective.

AstraZeneca is making the drug available to the NHS at a discounted price, which was not disclosed. Previously, the drug was only available for some NSCLC patients through the NHS’ Cancer Drugs Fund.