The U.K. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on August 22nd recommended that three biologic drugs be made available to patients on the National Health Service.

Britain;s drug reimbursement watchdog recommended that Tysabri (natalizumab), a monoclonal antibody made by Elan Corp. and Biogen Idec, be available to patients with rapidly evolving severe (RES) relapsing-remitting forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Tysabri, which has been on the market in Europe and the United States since 2006, is the first biologic treatment approved by NICE for multiple sclerosis.

NICE also found in favor of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) biologic Mabthera (rituximab), stating it can be used in combination with methotrexate in those with severe, active RA, and approved Humira (adalimumab) for psoriatic arthritis.

The watchdog said that in the case of Mabthera, patients must have had an inadequate response to or intolerance of other antirheumatic drugs, include treatment with at least one tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor therapy.

Mabthera has been available in Europe since 2004 and the US since 2002 for treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma indications and was approved in both Europe and the U.S. in 2006 for treatment of arthritis.

NICE recommended Humira or patients with active and progressive psoriatic arthritis when the person has peripheral arthritis that has not responded to adequate trials of at least two standard disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.