The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted bendamustine hydrochloride (Levact®) for use within NHS Scotland for the first-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) (Binet stage B or C) in patients for whom fludarabine combination chemotherapy is not appropriate.

The drug advice (available at the link below) discusses the evidence submitted by the manufacturer and considered by the SMC when making their recommendation.  This notes that bendamustine showed significantly improved response rates and progression free survival when compared with another alkylating agent (chlorambucil) in patients with previously untreated advanced CLL, although the patients studied may have been younger and fitter than those eligible to receive bendamustine in Scottish clinical practice.