|  | A new drug named Velcade (Bortezomib) has been approved for use in Europe for treatment of patients with myeloma whose disease has not responded to standard therapies after at least two previous therapies. Velcade is being used as a third-line therapy - that is, it is being given to patients who have received at least two other forms of therapy without resolution of their disease. Patients treated with Velcade may have myeloma which has never responded to treatment (refractory disease) or disease which did respond but no longer does (relapsed disease).
Velcade works in a novel fashion by blocking the activity of a cell component called the proteasome. The normal function of the proteasome is to break down protein molecules - it does this in a very controlled fashion which regulates the activity of signalling molecules within the cell. When this activity is blocked by Velcade it can cause the myeloma cell to undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) - effectively the tumour cell commits suicide.
| NICE recommendation on Velcade use in NHS |
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued an appraisal consultation document (ACD) on the use of bortezomib (Velcade) for multiple myeloma. This does not represent the final recommendation by NICE on use of Velcade; it is the current proposal and is subject to modification based on responses to the ACD.
Multiple myeloma - bortezomib (Single Technology Appraisal (STA)) - Appraisal consultation document
The key conclusions reported in the ACD:are:
1 Appraisal Committee's preliminary recommendations
1.1 Bortezomib monotherapy, in its licensed indication, is not recommended for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma except for use in well-designed clinical studies that focus on the establishment of the position of bortezomib in the pathway of care for people with multiple myeloma in comparison with other agents that are currently used in clinical practice in England and Wales.
1.2 People currently receiving bortezomib should have the option to continue therapy until they and their clinicians consider it appropriate to stop.
Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research are disappointed that the recommendation is so limited; particularly since this applies only to England - the equivalent bodies in Scotland and Wales have recommended that Velcade should be available for patients shose myeloma has relapsed after standard treatments. Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research will be submitting a proposal that the advice should be re-considered and Velcade be made available in England on the same basis as it is in Walse and Scotland.
Manufacturer's web site - not objective information!
| Free full text articles on Velcade from Medline |
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| | | More free full text articles on Velcade from Medline |
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