NICE approves immunotherapy combination for advanced melanoma

A combination of two immunotherapy drugs for treating advanced melanoma has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for use by the NHS in England.

The combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab was fast tracked for appraisal by NICE only a few months after it was licensed. Both drugs boost the activity of the immune system against cancer cells. Trials have shown that the combination can delay progression of advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma by an average of eight months compared with standard treatment.

NICE published …