NICE recommends AZ, BMS diabetes drug
The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is recommending that doctors can prescribe a new diabetes drug made by AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb on the NHS, after rejecting it back in February 2013.
The new decision comes after NICE requested more information from the two pharma manufacturers. It has now decided that Forxiga (dapagliflozin) is a cost-effective option for type 2 diabetes patients when used in combination with BMS' older medicine metformin.
However, the final draft guidance still doesn't recommend the drug as a triple therapy alongside metformin and sulfonylurea.
"We are pleased to recommend dapagliflozin for some people with type 2 diabetes. It is a serious problem in the UK and dapagliflozin provides another treatment option for some people with this condition."
Professor Carole Longson, director of NICE's Health Technology Evaluation Centre.
NICE said it expected to publish final guidance on Forxiga in June 2013.
Related news:
NICE backs Astra, Bristol diabetes drug in some cases (Reuters)
AstraZeneca wins U-turn on diabetes drug Forxiga (The Telegraph)
NICE reverses verdict on diabetes drug (GP Online)
