Shire’s Elvanse approved by Scottish Medicines Consortium

Shire has announced that its drug Elvanse has been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium for use in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The single-daily dose long-acting prodrug stimulant has been accepted for use within NHS Scotland for treating ADHD among children aged six and over when response to previous methylphenidate treatment is considered clinically inadequate.

It is the first stimulant prodrug to be approved in Europe for the treatment of ADHD and provides a long duration of effect, helping patients achieve control over the symptoms of their condition.

ADHD is estimated to affect 37,000 children and young people in Scotland, but it is thought that 4,539 of these are currently in contact with specialist services.

Dr David Coghill, child and adolescent psychiatrist at the University of Dundee, said: "The decision made by the SMC is great news, as it will help provide a broader range of options to help people with ADHD manage their individual needs effectively."

Last month, Shire presented an expert white paper calling for new approaches to tackling the impact of ADHD on a broad international scale.