Ustekinumab for treating moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis

2.1 Ustekinumab (Stelara, Janssen) has a marketing authorisation that includes the following indication: 'treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who have had an inadequate response with, lost response to, or were intolerant to either conventional therapy or a biologic or have medical contraindications to such therapies'.

2.2 The dosage schedule is available in the summary of product characteristics. Induction treatment is administered intravenously as a weight-based dose using 130 mg concentrate for solution for infusion. Maintenance treatment is administered as a subcutaneous injection using solution for injection in a vial or pre-filled syringe.

2.3 The list price of ustekinumab is £2,147 per 130‑mg vial of concentrate for solution for infusion, and £2,147 per 90‑mg solution for injection in a pre-filled syringe (excluding VAT; BNF online accessed February 2020).

2.4 The annual treatment costs are £14,482 in the induction year, and £9,304 per year for maintenance treatment (year 2 onwards).

2.5 The company has agreed a nationally available price reduction for ustekinumab with the Commercial Medicines Unit. The prices agreed through the framework are commercial in confidence.