LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - Britain's healthcare costwatchdog has rejected GlaxoSmithKline's lupus drugBenlysta a second time after the company offered an undiscloseddiscount, saying it still failed to offer good value for money.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)reconsidered its earlier rejection of funding for the drug, thefirst new treatment for the condition in half a century, afteran appeal by the manufacturer.
NICE recommends which drugs should be funded by Britain'sstate health service.
"We understand that it will be disappointing that this draftguidance doesn't recommend belimumab (Benlysta)," NICE ChiefExecutive Andrew Dillon said on Wednesday.
"This draft decision is because the evidence considered didnot persuade the Committee that belimumab was good value formoney compared with standard care."
Lupus is an incurable condition that causes the immunesystem to attack healthy tissue and organs. It mainly affectswomen and is more common among women of African Caribbean originthan any other group. About 15,000 people in England and Waleshave the condition.
NICE said the price per dose of the drug before the discountwas 769.50 pounds ($1,200), with three doses required in thefirst four weeks and one every four weeks thereafter.
Benlysta has been approved in the United States, Canada andEurope.
Glaxosmithkline (GSK)