UK – Merck KGaA’s Mavenclad tablets recommended by NICE for wider MS use

Merck KGaA’s Mavenclad (cladribine) tablets have been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to treat a broader group of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

The health technology assessment agency has recommended in final draft guidance that the short-course oral therapy be used on the NHS as a first-line treatment option for adults with active relapsing‐remitting MS (RRMS) when high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) would be considered.

The drug, which was previously only recommended by NICE as an option for highly active RRMS, a more severe form of the neurological disorder, offers patients greater flexibility by reducing the frequency of hospital visits and daily treatment requirements…