GlaxoSmithKline receives NICE recommendation for Revolade

GlaxoSmithKline has announced that its drug Revolade has been recommended in final guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The UK regulator has endorsed the drug for use within the NHS for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (cITP), an immune disorder associated with low blood platelet counts.

This represents the successful culmination of a three-and-a-half year appraisal process and is indicative of NICE's recognition of the drug's clinical value and cost effectiveness.

Clinical trials have showed that Revolade can increase response rates when added to conventional immunosuppressive therapy and in some patients allow reduction or discontinuation of concomitant treatments for cITP.

Erik van Snippenberg, general manager for GlaxoSmithKline in the UK, said: "We are pleased that NICE has recommended eltrombopag and that the small number of cITP patients in England and Wales are granted access to an alternative treatment option offering the benefit of oral convenience."

Earlier this month, the company had its condition approval for the renal cell carcinoma drug Votrient converted into a full marketing authorisation by the European Medicines Agency.