Boehringer Ingelheim receives NICE nod for new diabetes drug

Boehringer Ingelheim's new diabetes drug could soon be available on the NHS after the National Institute of Healthcare and Excellence (NICE) issued guidelines giving its support to the treatment.

Jardiance – or to use its scientific name, empagliflozin – was initially snubbed by NICE in October 2014, with the regulator asking Boehringer to provide it with more information on the drug's effects before it decided whether or not to endorse it.

However, NICE has made a significant u-turn regarding its stance on the treatment – which is intended for use by patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes – by publishing preliminary guidelines recommending the inhibitor as an option for some individuals with the condition.

Although there are already numerous treatments available for type 2 diabetics, director of the NICE Centre for Health Technology Evaluation Carole Longson stated that they all have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Medical director of Boehringer Dr Charles de Wet commented: "We are very pleased that NICE has recommended empagliflozin as a clinically and cost-effective treatment."