NICE Rejects J&J’s Oral Prostate Cancer Drug Over Costs

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended against the National Health Service adopting use of Johnson & Johnson (J&J)’s oral prostate cancer drug Erleada (apalutamide), citing cost concerns.

The cost-appraising body said the drug’s price, approximately $ 3,879 per pack of 112 tablets, was too expensive and that patients had other oral prostate cancer treatment options, including Bayer’s Nubeqa (darolutamide).

Erleada is authorized in the UK for men who have nonmetastatic prostate cancer at high risk of metastasizing and for men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer in combination with androgen-deprivation therapy.

NICE is giving stakeholders until June 11 to offer comments on its draft guidance about the recommendation.