NICE Reverses Decision to Reject Besponsa

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence changed its mind on Pfizer’s Besponsa (inotuzumab ozogamicin), a blood cancer treatment, deciding to recommend it for NHS funding after the institute rejected the drug on cost grounds last year.

The decision came after Pfizer developed a new cost model that incorporated a price discount. Besponsa is indicated for treating adults with relapsed or refractory CD22-positive B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

The institute said that the medicine could be an important treatment option for individuals with ALL and is generally well tolerated despite the risk of veno-occlusive liver disease.