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NICE Recommends Rituximab for Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia for NHS Use LONDON -- July 29, 2010 -- Rituximab (MabThera) will now be routinely available to certain National Health Service (NHS) patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, thanks to final guidance published on July 28. The NHS has 3 months to begin implementing this new guidance. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends rituximab, in combination with the chemotherapy drugs fludarabine and cyclophosphamide, for the treatment of relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia except when the condition has not previously responded to fludarabine or has relapsed within 6 months of treatment, or has previously been treated with rituximab. Following an appeal earlier this year, rituximab in combination with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide will also be available to patients who have already been treated with rituximab as part of a clinical trial but at a lower dose to the licensed amount, or who have previously received rituximab in combination with other chemotherapy drugs as part of a clinical trial. For people who have previously received rituximab outside of clinical trials, or for whom fludarabine and cyclophosphamide are not considered appropriate, the drug, in combination with chemotherapy, is recommended in the context of research. Peter Littlejohns, MD, Clinical and Public Health Director at NICE, said, “NICE received an appeal following the last stage of draft guidance and, as a result, the recommendations for this guidance have changed slightly. We want to ensure rituximab is routinely available in the NHS for those patients who may benefit most from it, including those who had already been treated with the drug during a clinical trial but at a lower dose than usual or in combination with other chemotherapy regimens.” “Where rituximab has been recommended in the context of research, this is because of a lack of evidence relating to the treatment’s efficacy in those instances,” Professor Littlejohns continued. “Hopefully, there will be more research in these areas to help NICE develop firmer recommendations, when this guidance is updated.” SOURCE: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version