Iluvien not recommended for use in UK

Iluvien is not recommended for the treatment of DME in the UK, announced the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

The final draft guidance indicated that Iluvien is not recommended for the treatment of chronic DME and is considered insufficiently responsive to current therapies.

The Appraisal Committee has claimed the intravitreal implant, developed by Alimera, as clinically effective. However, it has not been identified for its cost-effectiveness as of yet.

Andrew Lotery, professor of ophthalmology, University of Southampton, stated, "I am very pleased that NICE has recognized that ILUVIEN is clinically effective for chronic diabetic macular oedema. I am hopeful that this sustained-release therapy will become available to the thousands of people affected with diabetes in the United Kingdom."

Dan Myers, president and chief executive officer, Alimera, commented, "In recognition of the ongoing process with NICE, we have immediately begun to develop a Patient Access Scheme which, if accepted, will make ILUVIEN available to all chronic DME patients in the United Kingdom considered insufficiently responsive to available therapies."