NICE Recommends Metalyse for Adult Stroke Treatment

Boehringer Ingelheim’s Metalyse (tenecteplase) has been endorsed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a treatment option for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) in adults. This recommendation is anticipated to bring significant cost savings to the NHS, as Metalyse is less expensive compared to the current standard treatment, Actilyse (alteplase), which is also distributed by Boehringer in the UK.

In England, strokes account for approximately 100,000 hospital admissions annually. Acute ischaemic stroke, which constitutes about 85% of all stroke cases in the UK, occurs when a blood vessel is blocked, limiting blood supply to the brain. Metalyse, when administered during the early stages of a stroke, works by activating plasmin production, an enzyme that dissolves blood clots, thereby helping to restore blood flow through the obstructed vessel.

NICE’s recommendation of Metalyse is based on clinical evidence from the extensive and ongoing UK trial, ATTEST-2. This trial has been assessing whether Metalyse is more effective and safer than Actilyse. Additionally, the decision considers published results from completed trials. The findings showed that Metalyse was equally effective as Actilyse in dissolving blood clots or preventing new ones from forming following an AIS.

Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, remarked on the recommendation, emphasizing the importance of swift treatment in reducing the effects of a stroke. She pointed out that the new guidance not only provides a new treatment option for AIS patients but also has the potential to save the NHS millions of pounds, representing an efficient use of taxpayers' money.

This recommendation follows the approval of Metalyse by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in April. The approval allows Metalyse to be used for treating AIS within 4.5 hours from the onset of symptoms and for suspected acute cases of myocardial infarction (heart attack) within six hours of symptom onset.

Recently, Boehringer Ingelheim and Brainomix have embarked on a strategic partnership. This collaboration aims to enhance the identification and treatment access for individuals living with fibrosing lung disease in the US.