A deal has been struck to make Kadcyla routinely available on the NHS

NHS England has struck a deal with Roche and endorsed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to make the breast cancer drug Kadcyla available for routine use on the NHS.

Kadcyla is licensed to treat secondary HER2-positive breast cancer, which cannot be surgically removed, is unresponsive to other treatments and has spread to other parts of the body. Previously, the drug was deemed as too expensive by NICE for routine use on the NHS as it would have cost around £90,000 per patient although it has been available through the Cancer Drugs Fund since 2013. The reimbursement arrangements within this new deal are confidential.

“Today’s announcement on Kadcyla shows that for companies who are willing to work with us, there are concrete gains for them, for the NHS and most importantly for patients able to get new and innovative drugs,” said NHS chief Simon Stevens when speaking at the NHS Confederation conference at Liverpool. “In this case, tough negotiation and flexibility between the NHS and Roche means both patients and taxpayers are getting a good deal.”

Richard Erwin, general manager at Roche, added: “Close collaboration between Roche, NHS England and NICE has resulted in NICE recommending Kadcyla as a cost-effective treatment. This is a positive example of how solutions can be reached when all parties show flexibility.”

“This is exceptionally good news for so many breast cancer patients. We are absolutely delighted that tough negotiation and flexibility by NICE and NHS England, and the willingness of Roche to compromise on price, have ensured that thousands of women with incurable breast cancer will be given precious time to live,” emphasized Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now. “This outcome also demonstrates vital signs of life for the drug appraisal system in this country. Today’s landmark decision bodes well for patients looking for reassurances that modern cancer treatments can get through to NHS patients more quickly and can bring transformational improvements in patient outcomes for the future.”