Lilly’s Alimta approved by Scottish Medicines Consortium

Lilly has announced that its lung cancer drug has been approved for Scottish NHS use following a positive ruling by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC).

The monotherapy has been approved for the maintenance treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer in patients whose disease has not progressed immediately following platinum-based chemotherapy.

It means the pemetrexed-based therapy is now approved in three indications for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and one further indication for use in the treatment of mesothelioma in Scotland.

This is a potentially important ruling as rates of lung cancer in Scotland are among the highest in the world, and are significantly greater than those of other UK countries.

Phil Knott, head of oncology for Lilly UK, said: "Acceptance for use from the SMC is good news for Scottish patients and brings the available treatment options in line with those in England."

More than 41,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year in the UK, making it one of the most common and serious forms of the disease.