To ask the Minister of Health when the drug Entrecnib, or the oral treatment Pazopanib, which have been developed for sarcoma cancer, will be made available to patients resident in Northern Ireland.

The Department has a formal link with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) under which NICE Technology Appraisals are reviewed locally for their applicability in Northern Ireland. Where found to be applicable they are endorsed by the Department for implementation within Health and Social Care (HSC).

Pazopanib for first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma was endorsed by the Department in November 2011 and is available to patients in Northern Ireland via routine commissioning for this condition.

Entrectinib does not have an EU or UK marketing authorisation and is an unlicensed medicine. However a final decision from the European Commission is expected shortly.

NICE published final draft guidance on 25 June 2020 recommending entrectinib for use within the Cancer Drugs Fund (England) as an option for treating neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) fusion-positive solid tumours in adults and children 12 years and older, who meet the criteria and if the conditions in the managed access agreement are followed.

If the marketing authorisation is granted entrectinib will be considered for routine commissioning in Northern Ireland in line with the normal managed entry of new medicines processes.