Seven new medicines have been accepted for use by the National Health Service in Scotland, including therapies for leukaemia, lung cancer and multiple sclerosis.

First up, patients in Scotland with the rare and aggressive forms of leukaemia chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome positive acute leukaemia will get NHS access to Ariad Pharmaceuticals’ Iclusig (ponatinib).

According to the Scottish Medicines Consoritium, the treatment offers extended survival and better symptom control for patients who cannot tolerate other options, and it can also be used to treat patients with a rare genetic mutation (T3151) for whom there is no current therapy.

Bayer’s Stivarga (regorafenib) has been admitted for adult patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) that cannot be removed surgically or have spread. According to patient groups taking part in the decision-making process, the drug offers hope to those intolerant to other therapies, to whom no other treatment option is available, and who generally have a life expectancy of less than 12 months.

For more details, go to: http://www.pharmatimes.com/Article/15-04-13/Seven_new_drugs_OK_d_for_NHS_Scotland.aspx