Eisai and Pfizer report ‘patient victory’ in NICE judicial review

Eisai and Pfizer have announced that the recent judicial review decision regarding guidelines for the treatment of patients with Alzheimer’s disease is a “major victory” for patients, with it being ruled that the recommendations of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are discriminatory.

NICE has been directed to amend its guidance document, with this being the first time that the institute has been challenged in the court.

However, two other claims of irrationality and procedural fairness against NICE were dismissed by the court.

Eisai is the license holder of Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride), a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, with Pfizer being the company’s co-promotion partner for the drug.

Dr Paul Hooper, managing director of Eisai, said: “This is great news for the many thousands of patients affected by Alzheimer’s disease that would otherwise have been denied treatment based on NICE?s original recommendations”

He added his satisfaction that the opinion of doctors involved in treating Alzheimer’s has been aired, while stating that the firm would continue to push for NICE to reveal its method of calculation for determining the value of treating patients in the early, mild stages of the condition.

Eisai and Pfizer report that Aricept is the sole treatment approved for all stages of Alzheimer’s disease, with the compound helping function and cognition.