A new £80 million fund designed to help accelerate access to treatments for patients with life-threatening illnesses in Wales has now been confirmed by the Welsh government.
News
NICE advises immediate referral for suspected childhood diabetes
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is advising that children and young people with suspected diabetes be seen by a specialist immediately.
BI, Lilly hook up to test breast cancer combo
Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly are teaming up again, this time to test the potent of a novel combination of two medicines for the treatment of breast cancer.
UK officials reject calls to expand men B vaccination
Campaigners for expanding the scope of routine meningitis B vaccination in the UK say they are disappointed with a decision that a programme in infants aged one to two is not feasible.
FDA advisors back Sandoz’ Enbrel biosimilar
Sandoz’ biosimilar of Amgen’s blockbuster Enbrel has taken a big leap towards US approval after winning unanimous support from regulatory advisors.
Sepsis as serious as heart attack, says NICE
UK healthcare workers have been told to treat patients with suspected sepsis with the same urgency as those with suspected heart attack, in new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
NICE to expand reach of RA drug Cimzia
NICE has published draft guidance recommending UCB Pharma’s TNF inhibitor Cimzia as an option for severe rheumatoid arthritis when other drugs haven’t worked or aren’t suitable.
HIV transmission risk slashed with antiretroviral therapy
Findings of the PARTNER study, the world’s largest study of people with HIV who have had condomless sex with their HIV-negative partners, lend further weight to the use of antiretroviral therapy as a means of preventing infection with the virus.
FDA expands use of Pfizer’s Prevnar
US regulators have expanded the scope of Pfizer’s pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar 13, allowing its use in adults aged 18 to 49 years of age.
Research groups unite to create bank of cancer models
Four research powerhouses have come together to launch an international project aiming to set up a large, globally accessible, bank of new cancer cell culture models for the research.
Amgen’s Humira biosimilar backed by FDA panel
A US Food and Drug Administration’s advisory committee is supporting the approval of Amgen’s biosimilar of AbbVie’s biologic Humira, the world second best-selling drug.
SMC clears use of five news drugs on NHS Scotland
Scottish cost regulators have endorsed the use of five new medicines by NHS Scotland, offering patients new options for lung cancer, depression, ankylosing spondylitis and epilepsy.
Eisai urges action on rare cancer drugs ‘black hole’
Patients with thyroid cancer could be waiting three years for access to Eisai’s Lenvima because the drug was left out of the re-launched Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) and NICE guidance is not to be published until 2018.
US approves Shire’s eye disease drug
Shire’s Xiidra has been approved by US regulators to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease, giving patients access to the first prescription eye drop specifically approved for the condition.
FDA staffers back efficacy of Novartis’ Enbrel biosimilar
US Food and Drug Administration staffers have concluded that Sandoz’ biosimilar of Amgen’s blockbuster Enbrel, dubbed GP2015, is “highly similar” to its reference product, pushing the drug closer to approval.
