Roche’s Lucentis recommended by NICE for diabetic macular oedema

Roche has been granted a final draft recommendation from the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for its drug Lucentis, developed by its subsidiary Genentech.

The regulatory body has endorsed the drug as an option for treating visual impairment caused by diabetic macular oedema, following a review of the original negative guidance it issued on the drug in November 2011.

A revised patient access scheme submitted by the manufacturer was the cause of NICE's change of heart, as it is now believed that Lucentis could represent a cost-effective and efficacious therapy option among certain patient groups.

Final guidance is expected to be published by NICE in February 2013.

Professor Carole Longson, health technology evaluation centre director at NICE, said: "NICE is pleased to recommend ranibizumab as a treatment option for some people with visual impairment caused by diabetic macular oedema in new draft guidance."

Lucentis is also intended for use as a therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration and macular oedema following retinal vein occlusion.