Ipsen’s Cabometyx approved for first-line kidney cancer

There are around 12,600 new cases of kidney cancer every year in the UK. Ipsen’s Cabometyx (cabozantinib) is currently available for second-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, and now NICE have approved it for first-line treatment, having rejected it earlier in the year. Its decision came in the wake of phase II CABOSUN study results where Cabometyx was compared with Pfizer’s Sutent and showed significant improvement in progression-free survival. The patients on Ipsen’s product had a progression-free survival of 8.2 months and a median overall survival of 26.6 months, compared with 5.6 months and 21.2 months respectively for those on the Pfizer product.

Medical director of Ipsen UK & Ireland, Matthew Hickling, said: “This decision is very positive news for advanced renal cell carcinoma patients that don’t have time to wait and can now access cabozantinib earlier in their treatment pathway. This reimbursement decision reflects the importance of our partnership with NICE who recognise that there are still limited treatment options available for people who have advanced RCC, a cancer which still has such a poor prognosis with a high unmet need.”