GlaxoSmithKline’s Votrient receives Scottish NHS approval

GlaxoSmithKline's kidney cancer treatment Votrient is to be made available to Scottish NHS patients following a positive ruling by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC).

The healthcare regulator has backed the pazopanib therapy as a first-line treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma, based on clinical data showing its safety and efficacy compared to placebo.

This ruling comes after the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence approved the drug in the same specification for NHS patients in England and Wales last month.

As with the earlier decision, the SMC's approval takes into account the access scheme offered by GlaxoSmithKline, which sees the company offer a discount on the product, plus potential further rebates based on data from a forthcoming clinical study.

Simon Jose, general manager of GlaxoSmithKline UK, said: "It's great news that the SMC could see the value in our pricing scheme, enabling advanced kidney cancer patients in Scotland rapid access to Votrient."

Earlier this month, the company announced a new employment scheme that will see it reimburse undergraduate recruits on the full cost of their university tuition fees from September 2012.