21st APRIL NICE APPROVES AVELUMAB
Neuroendocrine Cancer UK is delighted to share with you NICE’s approval of Avelumab as a first line therapy option in metastatic MCC.
Avelumab is now recommended as an option for treating metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma in adults who have not had chemotherapy for metastatic disease.
Technology appraisal guidance [TA691] Published date: 21 April 2021
Why have NICE made this recommendation?
Avelumab has been routinely available in the NHS for treating metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma after chemotherapy or temporarily, on restricted access, via the Cancer Drugs Fund to use in chemotherapy naive patients with metastatic disease.
This appraisal reviewed the additional evidence now available for Avelumab (including review of NICE technology appraisal guidance 517).
The additional evidence included data from ongoing and subsequent clinical trials and from people having treatment in the NHS while this treatment was available in the Cancer Drugs Fund in England.
Evidence collected, while Avelumab was in the Cancer Drugs Fund, shows that :
- it is an effective treatment for untreated disease,
- compared with chemotherapy, it improves progression free survival
- compared with chemotherapy, it improves overall survival.
and is well-tolerated by those receiving it.
NICE concluded that:
Avelumab is considered to be both clinically effective and falls within what NICE considers an acceptable use of NHS resources. – pending company compliance with agreement:
Therefore, it is recommended.
Further information on this appraisal and NICE’s decision can be found here.
Further information on Merkel Cell Carcinoma – can be found on the NCUK website here.