following a full submission
cetuximab (Erbitux) is not recommended for use within NHS Scotland for the treatment of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing, KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with chemotherapy.
Outcomes for patients with KRAS wild-type disease were derived from retrospective, post hoc analyses of one phase ll and one phase lll study. Both these analyses showed an increase in overall response rate and a small, but statistically significant, increase in median progression free survival time when cetuximab was added to standard first-line chemotherapy.
The manufacturer did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis to gain acceptance by SMC. The licence holder has indicated their intention to resubmit.
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Medicine details
- Medicine name:
- cetuximab (Erbitux)
- SMC ID:
- 543/09
- Indication:
- Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing, KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer
- Pharmaceutical company
- Merck Serono Ltd
- BNF chapter
- Malignant disease and immunosuppression
- Submission type
- Full
- Status
- Superseded
- Date advice published
- 14 April 2009
This advice has been superseded by SMC advice No 1012/14.