Novartis says it is “disappointed” with health watchdog NICE’s decision not to recommend Lucentis for the treatment of eye problems due to diabetic macular oedema (DMO). NICE decided the VEGF drug Lucentis (ranibizumab) did not offer better value for money than laser treatment, which is the current standard of care, for patients in England and Wales. It also suggested Novartis’ costing model was flawed. “By not accounting in its submission for the need to treat both eyes in a proportion of people with DMO, the manufacturer significantly underestimated the cost of treatment,” insisted NICE chief executive Andrew Dillon.
