4 September 2015 - One of the world’s leading pharma companies in oncology is considering whether to continue investing in clinical trials in the UK, as it cannot justify the expenditure in the face of cuts to the Cancer Drugs Fund.

Two of Celgene’s treatments for multiple myeloma, Revlimid (lenalidomide) and Imnovid (pomalidomide), and its pancreatic cancer treatment Abraxane (nab-paclitaxel), have been de-listed from the CDF in the latest round of funding cuts by NHS England.

Abraxane is indicated for first-line use in advanced pancreatic cancer when used in combination with gemitabine. Pancreatic cancer is the tenth most common cancer in the UK, with almost 9,000 new diagnoses every year.

The decision also means that some patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma in England will not be able to access treatment. Patients in Scotland will be able to receive both treatments and the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) approved Imnovid for use on the NHS in Wales last month.

All CDF decisions will come into force from 4th November 2015, after which NHS England will no longer fund delisted treatment for newly-diagnosed patients. The decision has been forced by the spiralling cost of the Fund, from £200 million in 2010 to £340m in 2015/16.

For more details, go to: http://www.pharmafile.com/news/498539/celgene-threatens-scale-back-uk-clinical-trial-investment-after-cdf-snub