AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo Near UK Pricing Agreement for Breast Cancer Drug Enhertu

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo are nearing a pricing agreement with the UK's regulator, NICE, for their breast cancer drug Enhertu. The deal would grant access to women in England and Wales with HER2-low metastatic breast cancer, following a previous rejection by NICE over cost-effectiveness. The drug, which is already approved in 95 countries and widely available in the US and EU, delivers chemotherapy directly to tumors.

Enhertu UK Pricing Negotiations

• ▪AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo are nearing a pricing agreement with the UK's pricing regulator for the breast cancer drug Enhertu
• ▪AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot stated in April that changes to Britain's cost-effectiveness methodology could allow for an acceptable reimbursement price for Enhertu
• ▪If an agreement is reached, women in England and Wales with a certain type of breast cancer may gain access to the drug
• ▪An AstraZeneca spokesperson confirmed discussions are ongoing with NHS England and NICE to provide access to Enhertu for HER2-low metastatic breast cancer patients

NICE Coverage Denial

• ▪The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) had previously denied coverage for the drug Enhertu
• ▪NICE's previous denial was based on the claim that Enhertu was not cost-effective for the state-backed National Health Service

AstraZeneca UK Investment Commitment

• ▪In April, AstraZeneca pledged £300 million ($400.11 million) in investments as a show of its commitment to the UK
• ▪AstraZeneca's investment followed a bilateral deal aimed at gradually aligning UK drug prices with those in the United States

Enhertu Drug Profile

• ▪Enhertu is a breast cancer treatment developed by AstraZeneca and its Japanese partner, Daiichi Sankyo
• ▪The treatment works by delivering chemotherapy directly to tumours identified by the HER-2 marker, while sparing healthy cells
• ▪Enhertu is already widely available in the United States and almost all countries in the European Union
• ▪The drug is approved in 95 countries for certain breast, gastric, and lung cancers