For a copy of our cancer treatment leaflet contact your relevant customer care department.


List of cancer drugs covered by WPA

The following Advanced Therapeutic drugs are targeted cancer drugs that are covered by WPA under the therapeutic indications detailed below where these are not readily available to you as an NHS patient. These are regularly updated on our website. This information is correct as of the 8th December 2009. Please check your certificate and guide or contact us to confirm extent of the cover available.



Trade name - common name The therapeutic indication(s) licensed by the EMEA References Indicative Costs per month*
Afinitor - Everolimus Afinitor is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, whose disease has progressed on or after treatment with VEGF-targeted therapy. www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/afinitor/afinitor.htm 		£2,970
Alimta® - Pemetrexed Disodium Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma:
Alimta in combination with cisplatin is indicated for the treatment of chemotherapy naïve patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Non-small cell lung cancer:
Alimta in combination with cisplatin is indicated for the first line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer other than predominantly squamous cell histology. Note 3

Alimta is indicated as monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer other than predominantly squamous cell histology in patients whose disease has not progressed immediately following platinum-based chemotherapy. First line treatment should be a platinum doublet with gemcitabine, paclitaxel or docetaxel.

Alimta is indicated as monotherapy for the second line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer other than predominantly squamous cell histology. 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/alimta/alimta.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Chemotherapy
/Individualdrugs/Pemetrexed.aspx 		£1,600
Avastin® - Bevacizumab Colorectal cancer:
Avastin (bevacizumab) in combination with fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy is indicated for treatment of patients with metastatic carcinoma of the colon or rectum.

Metastatic breast cancer:
Avastin in combination with paclitaxel is indicated for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Non-small lung cancer:
Avastin, in addition to platinum-based chemotherapy, is indicated for first-line treatment of patients with unresectable advanced, metastatic or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) other than predominantly squamous cell histology.

Metastatic renal cell cancer:
Avastin in combination with interferon alfa-2a is indicated for first line treatment of patients with advanced and/or metastatic renal cell cancer (MRCC). 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/avastin/avastin.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Treatments
/Biologicaltherapies/Monoclonalantibodies
/Bevacizumab 		£2,733 - £3,698
Erbitux® - Cetuximab Erbitux is indicated for the treatment of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing, KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer
* in combination with chemotherapy Note 3
* as a single agent in patients who have failed oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based therapy and who are intolerant to irinotecan.

Erbitux is indicated for the treatment of patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck
* in combination with radiation therapy for locally advanced disease Note 3
* in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for recurrent and/or metastatic disease 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/erbitux/erbitux.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/
Cancerinformation/Cancertreatment/
Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies/
Monoclonalantibodies/Cetuximab.aspx 		£3,384
Iressa - Gefitinib Iressa is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating mutations of EGFR TK. www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/iressa/iressa.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Cancergrowthinhibitors/Gefitinib.aspx 		£2,168
MabCampath® - Alemtuzumab MacCampath is indicated for the treatment of patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) for whom fludarabine combination chemotherapy is not appropriate. Note 1 www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/mabcampath/
mabcampath.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/
Cancerinformation/Cancertreatment/
Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies/
Monoclonalantibodies/Alemtuzumab.aspx 		£3,170
Nexavar® - Sorafenib Hepatocellular carcinoma:
Nexavar is indicated for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma:
Nexavar is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who have failed prior interferon-alpha or interleukin-2 based therapy or are considered unsuitable for such therapy. Note 3 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/nexavar/nexavar.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Cancergrowthinhibitors/Sorafenib.aspx 		£2,980
Removab - Catumaxomab Removab is indicated for the intraperitoneal treatment of malignant ascites in patients with EpCAM positive carcinomas where standard therapy is not available or no longer feasible. www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/removab/removab.htm 		Available on clinical trial basis only
Revlimid - Lenalidomide Revlimid in combination with dexamethasone is indicated for the treatment of multiple myeloma patients who have received at least one prior therapy. Note 3 www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/revlimid/revlimid.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Angiogenesisinhibitors/Lenalidomide.aspx 		£4,370
Sprycel - Dasatinib Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia:
SPRYCEL is indicated for the treatment of adults with chronic, accelerated or blast phase chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy including imatinib mesilate.Note 1

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia:
SPRYCEL is also indicated for the treatment of adults with Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and lymphoid blast CML with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy. 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/sprycel/sprycel.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Cancergrowthinhibitors/Dasatinib.aspx 		£2,505
Sutent® - Sunitinib Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour (GIST):
Sutent is indicated for the treatment of unresectable and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) after failure of imatinib mesylate treatment due to resistance or intolerance. Note 3

Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (MRCC)
Sutent is indicated for the treatment of advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (MRCC). Note 3 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/sutent/sutent.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Cancergrowthinhibitors/Sunitinib.aspx 		£3,139
Tarceva® Note 3
- Erlotinib 		Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC):
Tarceva is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer after failure of at least one prior chemotherapy regimen. Note 3

When prescribing Tarceva, factors associated with prolonged survival should be taken into account. No survival benefit or other clinically relevant effects of the treatment have been demonstrated in patients with EGFR- negative tumours.

Pancreatic cancer:
Tarceva in combination with gemcitabine is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

When prescribing Tarceva, factors associated with prolonged survival should be taken into account. No survival advantage could be shown for patients with locally advanced disease. 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/tarceva/tarceva.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Cancergrowthinhibitors/Erlotinib.aspx 		£1,632
Tasigna - Nilotinib Tasigna is indicated for the treatment of adults with chronic phase and accelerated phase Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy including imatinib. Efficacy data in patients with CML in blast crisis are not available. Note 1 www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/tasigna/tasigna.htm 		£2,607
Torisel - Tesirolimus Renal cell carcinoma:
Torisel is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have at least three of six prognostic risk factors.

Mantle cell lymphoma:
Torisel is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and/or refractory mantle cell lymphoma [MCL]. 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/torisel/torisel.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Cancergrowthinhibitors/Temsirolimus.aspx 		£2,480
Tyverb® - Lapatanib Tyverb, in combination with capecitabine, is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer whose tumours overexpress ErbB2 (HER2). Patients should have progressive disease following prior therapy which must include anthracyclines and taxanes and therapy with trastuzumab in the metastatic setting. www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/tyverb/tyverb.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Cancergrowthinhibitors/Lapatinib.aspx 		£1,610
Vectibix - Panitumumab Vectibix is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of patients with EGFR expressing metastatic colorectal carcinoma with non-mutated (wild-type) KRAS after failure of fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-containing chemotherapy regimens. www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/vectibix/vectibix.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Monoclonalantibodies/Panitumumab.aspx 		£1,437
Velcade® - Bortezomib Note 3 VELCADE in combination with melphalan and prednisone is indicated for the treatment of patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma who are not eligible for high-dose chemotherapy with bone marrow transplant. Note 1

VELCADE is indicated as mono-therapy for the treatment of progressive multiple myeloma in patients who have received at least 1 prior therapy and who have already undergone or are unsuitable for bone marrow transplantation. Note 1 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
/EPAR/velcade/valcade.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Treatments/Biologicaltherapies
/Cancergrowthinhibitors/Bortezomib 		£3,050
Zevalin® - 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan Follicular Lymphoma:
The [90Y]-radiolabelled Zevalin is indicated as consolidation therapy after remission induction in previously untreated patients with follicular lymphoma. The benefit of Zevalin following rituximab in combination with chemotherapy has not been established.

Non-Hodgkin´s Lymphoma:
The [90Y]-radiolabelled Zevalin is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with rituximab relapsed or refractory CD20+ follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin´s lymphoma (NHL). 		www.emea.europa.eu/
humandocs/Humans/
EPAR/zevalin/zevalin.htm

www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation
/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Biologicaltherapies
/Monoclonalantibodies/90Y-Ibritumomabtiuxetan.aspx 		£10,356 Note 2

Note 1: Approved by Scottish Medical Consortium (SMC) and available to patients in Scotland under certain circumstances/criteria.
Note 2: www.nyrdtc.nhs.uk/docs/eva/IBRITUMOMAB.pdf
Note 3: Approved by NICE (and the NHS) under certain cirumcstances/criteria.

Source: http://www.nice.org.uk, http://www.emea.europa.eu, http://www.macmillan.org.uk and http://www.scottishmedicines.org.uk

* These are indicative costs and may vary depending on the patient´s height and weight.