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The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have issued an interim decision not to recommend cabozantinib (Cabometyx®) as a first-line treatment for advanced kidney cancer, despite it’s proven effectiveness at prolonging the life of kidney cancer patients.
In their Appraisal Consultation Document (ACD) released this week, NICE have made the decision cabozantinib is too expensive to be prescribed for NHS patients. Stakeholders are able to comment on the ACD by the end of June, before NICE releases its final appraisal decision in October.
Cabozantinib is a once-daily oral tablet which targets multiple pathways involved in the growth of tumours. Cabozantinib has been shown to extend progression free survival compared with standard treatment with sunitinib. Because of its multi-targeted approach, cabozantinib would likely have additional benefits for some groups of patients.
Cabozantinib was recommended by NICE as an option for treating advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after prior treatment with a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) targeted therapy (e.g., sunitinib or pazopanib), following a protracted appraisal process.
Cabozantinib was originally approved for advanced RCC by the European Medicines Agency in 2016, and this approval was extended for first-line use in May 2018.
KCSN will be responding to NICE’s decision not to recommend cabozantinib for first-line treatment of advanced RCC.
If you have any concerns about this disappointing news, please get in touch with Rose or Julia at the KCSN.
