Sanofi’s Jevtana receives NICE recommendation for prostate cancer

Sanofi's cancer drug Jevtana has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a treatment for prostate cancer.

The cabazitaxel therapy has been endorsed in final guidance from the UK regulator for use in combination with prednisone or prednisolone among people with metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer who have failed to respond to docetaxel chemotherapy.

NICE previously ruled that Jevtana would not be recommended due to concerns about its cost-effectiveness compared with standard treatments, but Sanofi responded by providing a greater discount and agreeing to supply the drug in intravenous bags instead of vials, reducing waste.

Between 2013 and 2015, more than 550 patients accessed Jevtana as a second-line treatment after docetaxel chemotherapy through the Cancer Drugs Fund. This positive recommendation from NICE means it will now move into routine NHS use.

Professor Carole Longson, director of the Centre for Health Technology Evaluation at NICE, said: "This is an excellent example of how pharma companies can work with us to ensure that patients have access to all of their treatment options."