NICE issues positive Final Appraisal Determination recommending the use of Basilea's Toctino

16-Jul-2009 - Switzerland

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. announces that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued the Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) recommending the use of Toctino® (alitretinoin) within its licensed indication, as a treatment option for adults with severe chronic hand eczema that has not responded to potent topical corticosteroids.

The FAD published today will become the Institute's final guidance to the National Health Service (NHS) at the end of August, according to NICE's publication schedule, assuming no appeals are made by the appraisal consultees.

"The positive Final Appraisal Determination is an important milestone for Basilea and is confirmation of the value Toctino brings to patients and the healthcare community," said Dr. Anthony Man, Chief Executive Officer, Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. "The NICE recommendation should provide patients in England and Wales who suffer from severe chronic hand eczema a real chance to obtain hands cleared of eczema and the possibility to resume normal activities."

NICE determined that Toctino®, an innovative therapy shown to be highly effective in phase III trials, is a cost-effective use of NHS resources. Toctino® is recommended for patients with severe disease, which is defined by a physician's global assessment and a dermatology life quality index score of 15 or more.

In March of this year the Scottish Medicine's Consortium determined Toctino® should be made available to patients in Scotland.

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