Ustekinumab is a new treatment that slows down the inflammation. It is given as an injection at weeks 0 and 4 and then every 12 weeks afterwards. Treatment should be discontinued if patients have not shown any response after 28 weeks.
- In a study of patients treated with ustekinumab compared with an alternative treatment, significantly more patients achieved at least 75% improvement in their psoriasis.
- A condition known as injection site erythema was less frequent in those treated with ustekinumab. Rates of infections or serious infection were similar between both treatment groups.
- This SMC advice on ustekinumab takes account of the benefits of a patient access scheme (PAS). A PAS is a scheme proposed by a manufacturer in order to improve the cost effectiveness of a drug and enable patients to receive access to cost-effective new medicines.
- SMC accepted ustekinumab for use because, when the benefits of the PAS were included in the economic case, the manufacturer’s justification of the treatment’s health benefits in relation to its cost was favourable enough to gain acceptance. This SMC advice is dependent upon the continuing availability of the PAS in NHSScotland.
Ustekinumab, brand name Stelera® is a Prescription Only Medication (POM).
About Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC)
The remit of the SMC is to provide advice to NHS Boards and their Area Drug and Therapeutics Committees (ADTCs) across Scotland about the status of all newly licensed medicines, all new formulations of existing medicines and new indications for established products (licensed from January 2002). This advice will be made available as soon as practical after the launch of the product involved.
Source:
SMC briefing note; Number 27 February 2010.
www. scottishmedicines .org
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