Kadcyla Breast Cancer Drug Trastuzumab Emtansine not approved on NHS

The breast cancer drug trastuzumab emtansine (also known as Kadcyla) will not be made routinely available on the NHS following a failure to reach an agreement on price between the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the drug’s manufacturer, Roche.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says it cannot recommend a life-extending breast cancer drug due to its high price. The drug trastuzumab emtansine (also known as Kadcyla) costs around £90,000 per patient. Pharmaceuticals giant Roche said that “NICE is the first organisation to say no to Kadcyla”.

More information
  • Listen to @steve_lefevre talking about the cost of Kadcyla with Dr Seeruthun from @Roche on breakfast, BBC Radio tweet.
  • Pressure grows on Roche to lower breast cancer drug price,
    NICE news, 08 August 2014.
  • NHS says no to new breast cancer drug Kadcyla,
    BBC News Health, 08 August 2014.
  • Disappointment as breast cancer drug not approved on NHS, Cancer Research UK, News Report, 08 August 2014.
  • Trastuzumab Emtansine for HER2-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer,  NEJM, 10.1056/NEJMoa1209124, November 14, 2013.
  • Watch more pharma videos on our YouTube channel.

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