AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo Nearing UK Pricing Deal for Cancer Drug Enhertu

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo are reportedly nearing a pricing agreement with England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for the breast cancer drug Enhertu, according to a Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the negotiations. If successful, the deal would make the treatment available to patients through the National Health Service (NHS). Spokespeople for the companies confirmed that discussions with NHS England and NICE are ongoing.

Enhertu, developed jointly by the two firms, has been shown to extend life by around six months for some patients with a specific type of metastatic breast cancer. NICE has previously considered the medicine too expensive for widespread use, which has prevented an estimated 1,000 women in England and Wales who could benefit from the drug from accessing it.

Several factors have reportedly contributed to the progress in negotiations. According to the report, a US-UK trade deal influenced a change in the regulator's position by raising the threshold at which medicines are considered value-for-money. Other changes supporting higher prices for life-extending medicines, as well as compromises from the drugmakers, are also said to be helping advance the potential agreement.

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The deal is not yet finalized and could still fall through, with one source noting that expected changes in the UK government could be a factor. Enhertu is already widely available in the United States and in most European Union countries. Should an agreement be reached, the NHS in England is expected to secure a lower price than many of its European counterparts.