Celgene’s Thalidomide backed by NICE for multiple myeloma

Celgene has received a provisional recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for its drug Thalidomide to be used as a multiple myeloma treatment.

The regulator has published final draft guidance that backs the drug, as well as Janssen's bortezomib-based treatment Velcade, as first-line therapy options for the potentially deadly condition.

Thalidomide has been recommended in combination with an alkylating agent and a corticosteroid among those unable to benefit from high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplantation.

Final guidance on the treatment will be issued by NICE next month.

Dr Carole Longson, Health Technology Evaluation Centre director at NICE, said: "Both thalidomide and bortezomib regimens are more effective at delaying disease progression and improving patients' life expectancy than the current treatment of an alkylating agent and corticosteroid alone."

Earlier this week, the firm announced plans to conduct a new clinical study of a Revlimid-based follicular lymphoma treatment, in association with the Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte.