Amryt’s Myalepta scores NICE backing for rare lipid disorder

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Amryt Pharma’s Myalepta (metreleptin) for use within the NHS.

Myalepta has been recommended for the treatment of the rare lipid disorder lipodystrophy, which is characterised by an abnormal distribution of fat in the body.

It is indicated for use as an adjunct to diet as replacement therapy for the treatment of leptin deficiency in patients with congenital or acquired general lipodystrophy (GL) in adults and children aged two years and above.

The drug has also been recommended for the treatment of familial or acquired partial lipodystrophy (PL) in adults and children aged 12 years and above.

Myalepta is administered as a daily injection into the skin – it is currently the only form of leptin replacement therapy available for lipodystrophy.

“We are very excited to report NICE’s approval of Myalepta which will now give all England and Wales based patients suffering from lipodystrophy the opportunity to access Myalepta,” said Joe Wiley, chief executive officer of Amryt.

“Today’s news represents further progress in our efforts to grow the geographic reach of our commercial products in both existing and new territories,” he added.

Approximately 200 people in England are believed to have lipodystrophy and there are no licensed treatments in the UK for the condition.