Amgen has announced that Repatha (evolocumab) has been selected as an Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) ‘Rapid Uptake Product’ by the AAC Board.
The AAC brings together senior leadership from Government, the NHS and the life sciences industry to drive innovation in the NHS, identifying and supporting the medicines and technologies that will be most transformative for patients.
Evolocumab is a PCSK9 inhibitor (PSCK9i) indicated in adults to reduce cardiovascular risk by lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and has been recognised by NICE as a clinically and cost effective option for patients.PCSK9is have been identified by the AAC Board as a group of medicines with full evidence bases, but that have not seen a strong uptake in the health service due to systematic barriers.
“Amgen is delighted that evolocumab has been selected as a transformational product for inclusion in the launch of the Accelerated Access Collaborative. The AAC is a unique partnership between healthcare organisations, NHS England and industry to identify breakthrough medicines, give confidence in their potential to address unmet need and get them into clinicians’ hands faster,” explained Chris Fox, VP and general manager for the UK and Ireland, Amgen.
“We are proud to contribute to the government’s ambition of positioning the UK not only as a global life sciences destination, but also as a healthcare system that will create solutions together to make sure patients get the treatments they need. Together with the AAC, Amgen will continue working hard to address the uptake of transformative medicines such as PCSK9is, that are deemed cost-effective by NICE but which still face significant adoption and diffusion barriers.”
Derek Connolly, consultant cardiologist at Birmingham City Hospital, welcomed the news: “It takes determination and collaboration to establish NHS services and pathways which allow advanced therapies to be made available for eligible patients. This is especially true in areas like cardiovascular disease with PSCK9is, where long-established alternatives are so readily available. Today’s announcement is a clear message to NHS decision makers that systemic barriers are blocking patient access to medicines – and a real step in the right direction to doing something about it. This is a major victory for eligible patients with cardiovascular disease.”
Amgen says it is committed to working alongside the AAC to ensure that all eligible patients can rapidly gain access to PCSK9is within the health service as a clinically and cost effective option for use.
