NICE has recommended radium 223 dichloride (also known as Xofigo and manufactured by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.) as an option for treating adults with hormone relapsed prostate cancer, who;

• have previously received docetaxel treatment,
• are experiencing symptoms from the disease spreading to their bones,
• have no signs of cancer in any other organ.

Radium 223 dichloride is a radiopharmaceutical agent designed to deliver alpha-radiation to cancer that has spread to the bone without affecting the patient’s healthy bone marrow.

It is recommended only if it is provided with a patient access scheme discount agreed as part of the appraisal.

NICE recommends enzalutamide (also known as Xtandi and manufactured by Astellas Pharma) as an option for treating people with metastatic hormone-relapsed prostate cancer who have no or mild symptoms after androgen deprivation treatment has stopped working, and before chemotherapy is needed.

The independent appraisal committee concluded that enzalutamide is a well-tolerated treatment that delays chemotherapy (which it recognised as being valuable to patients) and improves survival. It was also found to be cost-effective when provided through the patient access scheme discount agreed.

Source: NICE