Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has announced that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Camzyos (mavacamten) for use across NHS England and Wales in adults with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM).
Following NICE’s final guidance, Camzyos will be used in eligible patients as an add-on to individually optimised standard care, which includes beta-blockers, non-dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers or disopyramide, unless these are contraindicated.
Previous results from the phase 3 VALOR-HCM long-term extension trial showed that the first-in-class cardiac myosin inhibitor had consistent and durable responses in patients with oHCM.
At 56 weeks, Camzyos continued to reduce patient eligibility for invasive septal reduction therapy (SRT). Results showed that 8.9% of patients in the original Camzyos group and 19.2% in the placebo crossover group at week 40 decided to proceed with SRT or were SRT-eligible.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited heart condition and affects around one in 500 people in the UK.
Approximately 70% of HCM patients are affected by oHCM. In oHCM, the heart muscle wall becomes thickened and stiff, making it more difficult for the heart to pump blood around the body, resulting in symptoms which can be restrictive and even debilitating. The condition also increases the risk of sudden cardiac death.
Commenting on the recommendation, Sunil Nair, consultant cardiologist and lead for inherited and acquired heart muscle diseases at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Despite its prevalence, those diagnosed with HCM have been faced with limited treatment choices to manage their condition.
“This NICE recommendation introduces a new treatment option for eligible patients, that specifically targets the underlying cause of oHCM, offering the possibility of better symptom management and improved overall quality of life for patients with this condition.”
In April 2022, Camyzos received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for use in adults with class 2 or 3 symptomatic oHCM.
The treatment later received approval from the European Medicines Agency in June 2023.