NICE recommends olaparib tablets for platinum-sensitive cancer patients

Clinical trials evidence demonstrated that olaparib stalled the growth of cancer for approximately 13.6 months longer than the placebo (ie, 19.1 months for the drug and 5.5 months for the placebo), making it a maintenance rather than curative treatment.

CDF v NHS recommendations for olaparib

Olaparib is recommended for routine use in the UK National Health Service (NHS) for patients who have taken three or more courses of platinum-based chemotherapy. It is deemed to meet NICE’s end-of-life criteria and was found to be cost-effective for this group. It is estimated that approximately 100 people will be eligible for the treatment through routine commissioning. 

For patients who have received two courses of platinum-based chemotherapy, olaparib does not meet NICE’s end-of-life criteria. For this patient group, olaparib has the potential to be cost-effective if further data confirms the overall survival benefit. The drug is therefore recommended for use within the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) for patients who have taken two courses of platinum-based chemotherapy. It is estimated that approximately 1,100 people will be eligible for this treatment through the CDF.

Olaparib has previously been recommended in its capsule form for individuals with a BRCA gene mutation after having taken three or more courses of platinum-based chemotherapy. According to the company, olaparib tablets will eventually replace its capsule form due to restrictions in its licencing status; hence only olaparib tablets are covered by this appraisal.

Guidance can be found here.