The decision comes after an earlier appraisal consultation document (ACD) said the Takeda drug was not cost-effective in this setting.
An improved commercial agreement from the company and further clarifications about its economic model mean it is now recommended for routine use in the NHS.
The committee also took into account that future treatments will be limited for this population because Xalkori is no longer considered first-line treatment for ALK-positive NSCLC.
People with this form of lung cancer are currently offered Zykadia (ceritinib) as a second line treatment. People taking Zykadia survive for 18 months on average, based on evidence from the ASCEND-5 trial. Results from the ALTA trial showed that people taking Alunbrig whose disease had progressed on Xalkori could live an average of 34 months.
Alunbrig is also less toxic than Zykadia, the final appraisal document (FAD) says…
