NICE Issues Recommendation for Pfizer’s Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Treatment

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of the United Kingdom has issued its final draft guidance recommending that tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Pfizer) be used as an option for treating active polyarticular juvenile arthritis and juvenile psoriatic arthritis in patients aged two years and older. NICE’s decision was announced in a Sept. 9, 2021 press release.

Caveats for the recommendation of the treatment include making it available for young people whose arthritis has not responded well enough to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Furthermore, tofacitinib should only be used if the patients are not suited for or their condition is not sufficiently controlled by treatment with a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitor, and only if the company provides the therapy according to the commercial arrangement.

“I am very pleased NICE has been able to recommend tofacitinib for young people with this form of arthritis. Tofacitinib has the potential to help young people with this condition be more able to take part in some physical activities and sports, which will significantly help improve their quality of life,” said Meindert Boysen, deputy chief executive and director of the Centre for Health Technology Evaluation at NICE, in the press release. “I am also pleased the company worked with NICE and our independent appraisal committee to supply evidence, which meant we could not only make a positive recommendation, but one which fast-tracks access for this group of people in the NHS [National Health Service].”