Drug Discovery and Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

NICE Recommends Crizotinib for Lung Cancer

By Drug Discovery Trends Editor | August 22, 2016

Crizotinib is recommended for people with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer who haven’t received treatment before.

Although it doesn’t cure the disease, crizotinib shrinks or slows growth of tumours by targeting a specific protein only found in cancerous cells.

Previously people with this type of lung cancer, who hadn’t received treatment before, could only be treated with intravenous chemotherapy.

Taking a tablet means people avoid hospital which in turn frees up staff.

The pill usually costs £51,000 per patient for a course of treatment. 

When crizotinib was initially reviewed, the company had offered a discount but the NICE committee concluded that it was not cost-effective at that price. In response to this decision the company offered a further discount.

Professor Carole Longson, director of the health technology evaluation centre at NICE said: “We are pleased that we have been able to work with Pfizer to secure a positive recommendation for crizotinib. As crizotinib is available as an oral treatment, it’s a really valuable option for people with untreated lung cancer that will now be routinely available on the NHS.”

Crizotinib is licenced for use in people whose cancer has a specific genetic mutation known as ALK-positive.

Around 459 patients are expected to be eligible for first-line treatment with crizotinib in England and Wales.

Although this is a draft decision from NICE, reforms to the Cancer Drugs Fund means crizotinib will be immediately funded by NHS England.


Filed Under: Drug Discovery

 

Related Articles Read More >

Sai Life Sciences exec: GLP-1 boom has ‘exploded the peptide field’ as firm opens new center
Novartis in the Pharma 50
Swissmedic approves first malaria treatment for infants
Korean team reports all-in-one cancer nanomedicine in pre-clinical studies
Nektar’s Phase 2b atopic dermatitis win triggers 1,746% analyst target surge, but legal tussle with ex-partner Lilly could complicate path forward
“ddd
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest news and trends happening now in the drug discovery and development industry.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
Drug Discovery and Development
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • Medtech100 Index
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Medical Design & Outsourcing
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • R&D World
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Drug Discovery & Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE