Novartis receives NICE backing for multiple sclerosis drug Extavia

Novartis has received a provisional approval from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for its multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy Extavia.

The UK regulator has issued draft guidance accepting the therapy for routine funding on the NHS as a treatment for adults with relapsing-remitting MS, or secondary progressive MS with continued relapses.

Extavia is self-injected every two days and works by slowing down the damage to the nervous system caused by MS, thereby potentially reducing the number of MS-related relapses among the 116,000 people in England who are affected by the condition.

NICE granted this approval to Extavia after Novartis agreed to discount the price of the drug, meaning it can now be recommended as a cost-effective option.

Professor Carole Longson, director of the centre for health technology evaluation at NICE, said: "We are delighted that Novartis has been able to agree a reduction to the price of Extavia to allow it to be made routinely available to people with this type of multiple sclerosis."

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