Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

UK's NICE backs Roche, SGP Peg-Interferons for HCV

http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20060823:MTFH37489_2...

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LONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Two similar drug treatments for hepatitis C from Roche <ROG.VX> and Schering-Plough <SGP> have been recommended for use on Britain's state-run health service.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), which evaluates the cost-effectiveness of drugs for use in England and Wales, said on Wednesday both Roche's Pegasys and Schering-Plough's ViraferonPeg [a.k.a. Peg-Intron] were suitable for people with mild chronic hepatitis C.

Both medicines are long-lasting forms of interferon that are given together with the antiviral drug ribavirin.

NICE said between 200,000 and 500,000 people were estimated to be infected with hepatitis C in England and Wales but only around 7,000 were being treated [see #msg-11370130]. Current practice is generally to treat only those patients with moderate or severe symptoms.

"We are recommending these drugs as the evidence suggests that treating patients with hepatitis C in its earlier stages when symptoms are milder can be effective at suppressing the virus and delaying disease progression," NICE Chief Executive Andrew Dillon said in a statement.

"Treatment in these patients is also cost effective -- for example, early treatment might prevent the need for a costly and complicated liver transplant at a later stage." [No kidding!]

NICE estimates that around 3,500 more patients will decide to receive the treatments, at a cost to the National Health Service of around 25 million pounds ($47.3 million) a year.
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