Liver cancer drug Sorafenib to be made available in Wales

The Minister has confirmed that the positive recommendation by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) that Sorafenib should be made routinely available to treat people with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for whom there are no other treatment options, will be endorsed.

The manufacturer of Sorafenib has agreed to a Wales Patient Access Scheme, which lowers the cost of treatment. This means Sorafenib can made available despite a previous decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to not recommend its use in the NHS in Wales and England.

HCC is the most common form of primary liver cancer and occurs predominantly in people with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. It is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide.

Early stage disease is potentially curative with surgery or ablation; however there are only a limited number of treatment options for people who are not suitable for surgery or ablation.

Following diagnosis of HCC the average survival is less than 12 months.  However, Sorafenib has been shown in clinical trials to extend survival and improve quality of life.

Around 250 people are diagnosed with HCC in Wales each year and it is expected that more than 100 will benefit from Sorafenib being made available.

Professor Drakeford said:

“I’m pleased that Sorafenib – the only medicine licensed to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer – will now be made routinely available on the Welsh NHS.

“The drug is being made available in light of the clear clinical need and the potential for the drug to have a positive impact for people with this form of liver cancer in Wales.”

Sorafenib is not routinely available in England.