Posted by Michael Wonder on 11 Jul 2016
SMC gives green light for BMS’ Opdivo
11 July 2016 - Scotland will be first UK country to access the drug after NICE refusal.
Lung cancer patients in Scotland will be the first in the UK to access Bristol-Myers Squibb's immunotherapy Opdivo via the NHS, following a recommendation by the SMC.
It is a boost for the manufacturer after NICE last week refused to recommend Opdivo (nivolumab) in England as a treatment for kidney cancer.
The PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor extends overall survival in post-chemotherapy patients with locally advanced or metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer - a particularly aggressive sub-type of lung cancer with limited treatment options.
