Merck Sharpe and Dohme wins NICE approval for Simponi

Merck Sharpe and Dohme has won approval from the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for Simponi, its multipurpose therapy for rheumatoid conditions.

The drug has been made available in Britain for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis following a final appraisal determination from the healthcare regulator.

Simponi has proven its efficacy and safety against each of these conditions in clinical trials and was approved by the European Commission late in 2009.

It is hoped that the UK approval will help to lessen the economic burden posed by musculoskeletal disorders, which represent the fifth-highest area of NHS spending, consuming 4.2 billion pounds of the health service's budget in 2008-09.

Dr Paul Robinson, medical director for Merck Sharpe and Dohme UK, said: "It offers patients and their clinicians an additional, more convenient therapeutic option."

Earlier this month, the company published positive new clinical trial data for tafluprost, an innovative new therapy option for open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.