Britain's healthcare cost watchdog said it was unable to recommend use of Bristol-Myers Squibb's schizophrenia drug Abilify in children aged 15 to 17 and has asked for more information on its effectiveness.

In a statement issued on Friday, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said it did not have enough data on the clinical and cost effectiveness of the drug, which is known generically as aripiprazole and sold by BMS and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals.

NICE advises the British government on which drugs and treatments should be paid for and offered by the state-funded National Health System (NHS).

NICE's health technology evaluation director Carole Longson said the body had asked for comparison data in the 15-17 age group between Abilify and other schizophrenia drugs routinely used in the UK, including Johnson & Johnson's Risperdal or risperidone, Eli Lilly and Co's Zyprexa or olanzapine, AstraZeneca's Seroquel or quetiapine and Novartis's Clozaril or clozapine.

The next step in the NICE process is for the manufacturer to consider the committee's comments and respond to its request for further evidence, she said in a statement.

United kingdom