The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7174 p701-706
17 November 2001

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New treatment now available for adult patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia

Imatinib (Glivec), a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been launched for use in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia. It is licensed for adult patients in whom therapy with interferon-alpha has failed (see products, p708).

As a result, the Department of Health has asked the National Institute for Clinical Evidence to appraise imatinib for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia and guidance is expected in August 2002. In the meantime, to make sure treatment is not stopped for patients already receiving the drug, the Department has written to regional health directors about funding.

In the letter, Neil McKay, chief operating officer, Department of Health, says: "Health authorities should bear in mind that delaying a decision until NICE has issued its advice is a refusal to fund the treatment and would be regarded as a negative judgement".

The Department says that 200 patients are currently involved in trials of imatinib and that the product's manufacturer, Novartis, will continue to fund their treatment indefinitely under a clinical trial protocol. A further 500 patients in the United Kingdom have been given the drug on an "expanded access programme" whereby Novartis agreed to fund their treatment until a commercial licence was obtained. However, the Department says there is "no question of treatment being withdrawn from patients on funding grounds... Treatment should only cease on clinical grounds".

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