1 Recommendations

1.1

Somapacitan can be used, within its marketing authorisation, as an option to treat growth failure caused by growth hormone deficiency in people 3 to 17 years. Somapacitan can be used if the company provides it at the same price or lower than that agreed with the Medicines Procurement and Supply Chain, where applicable.

1.2

Use the least expensive option of the available treatments (including somapacitan and any preparation of somatropin). Take account of administration costs, dosages, price per dose and commercial arrangements. If the least expensive option is unsuitable, people with the condition and their healthcare professional should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of other treatments

What this means in practice

Somapacitan must be funded in the NHS in England for the condition and population in the recommendations, if it is considered the most suitable treatment option. Somapacitan must be funded in England within 30 days of final publication of this guidance.

There is enough evidence to show that somapacitan provides benefits and value for money, so it can be used routinely across the NHS in this population.

NICE has produced tools and resources to support the implementation of this guidance.

Why these recommendations were made

For this evaluation, somapacitan was considered only for treating growth failure caused by growth hormone deficiency in people 3 to 17 years. This does not include everyone who it is licensed for.

Growth failure caused by growth hormone deficiency in people 3 to 17 years is usually treated with somatrogon or somatropin (available in multiple preparations). Somapacitan works in a similar way to these 2 treatments, and would be offered to the same population.

Clinical trial evidence shows that somapacitan works as well as somatropin.

The cost modelling used a range of dosages of somatropin that reflects the range used in the NHS. It also took into account the costs of somapacitan and somatropin in primary and secondary care. The cost comparison suggests that the cost of somapacitan is similar to or lower than the cost of somatropin. So somapacitan can be used.

For all evidence see the committee papers. For more information on NICE's evaluation of somatropin, see the committee discussion section in NICE's technology appraisal guidance on somatropin.