SMC approves new cancer drugs, among others

The latest round of Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) decisions have brought medicines for breast cancer, skin cancer and schizophrenia into the spotlight and recommended them for use on the NHS in Scotland.The governing body has firstly accepted Eli Lilly's Verzenios (abemaciclib) for the treatment of advanced or metastatic breast cancer in two different settings. The drug was accepted for use in combination with aromatase inhibitors as an initial therapy in patients who have not had previous endocrine (hormone) based therapy, and works by prolonging the time breast cancer takes to progress and delays the need for chemotherapy. It was also accepted for restricted use in combination with fulvestrant for patients whose condition has progressed on or after endocrine therapy or during first-line endocrine-based therapy. MSD's Keytruda (pembrolizumab) was also accepted for advanced melanoma, following consideration through Post-acute care enablement (PACE), for use after surgery. As there is no other active treatment available at this stage of the disease, the current management is just surveillance through routine monitoring and scans. NHS funding was also agreed for Recordati's Reagila (cariprazine) for the second line treatment of schizophrenia in adult patients where the symptoms are diagnosed as being ‘predominantly negative’, including emotional withdrawal and inability to feel pleasure. The decision provides another welcome treatment option for patients with these symptoms as existing anti-psychotic medicines can be limited in their effectiveness.