The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Pfizer’s Talzenna (talazoparib) in a step forward for patients in England with prostate cancer.
Following the NICE’s decision on 23 January, the once-daily pill will be available to patients with metastatic prostate cancer through the National Health Service (NHS) – adding to its previous recommendation for the drug’s use in metastatic breast cancer. NICE is recommending Talzenna’s use when taken alongside hormonal therapy Xtandi (enzalutamide).
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Talzenna-Xtandi is specifically indicated for patients with prostate cancer who are not eligible to receive treatment with standard of care (SoC) hormonal therapy plus corticosteroid combinations such as abiraterone-prednisolone.
This recommendation marks a shift in stance for NICE, which provisionally stated last year it would not support the drug’s use in prostate cancer. However, the UK health watchdog has since reconsidered its position based on the outcome of a public consultation.
Talzenna is a poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor that acts by blocking the repair of single-strand breaks in cancer cells, causing genomic instability and cancer cell death.
According to Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, the Talzenna recommendation is an “important step forward” for patients with prostate cancer – particularly for those who are unable to receive treatment with chemotherapy or other commonly used medicines.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataKnight also touted Talzenna-Xtandi’s at-home administration, which provides a “convenient and flexible” treatment option for patients.
The Institute of Cancer Research welcomed the news, stating: “The recommendation marks an important step forward in giving people more treatment options – especially those who cannot undergo chemotherapy. Patients can take the once-daily pill at home, offering convenience and flexibility.”
Talzenna is one of three drugs for prostate cancer treatment to recently secure NICE approval, with Bayer and Orion’s oral androgen receptor therapy Nubeqa (darolutamide) and Zytiga (abiraterone) plus its generics being recommended for NHS use in October 2025.
The combination therapy first gained US regulatory approval alongside androgen receptor inhibitor Xtandi in prostate cancer in 2023 while the European Commission (EC) approved Talzenna-Xtandi in 2024.
Talzenna faces competition in prostate cancer market
While the NICE’s decision is a win for Pfizer, Talzenna is part of a competitive metastatic prostate cancer market.
This includes AstraZeneca’s PARP inhibitor Lynparza (olaparib), which GlobalData estimates will bring in global sales of $3.5bn at its sales peak across all indications in 2027. However, the drug’s market exclusivity expires in 2027, leaving it vulnerable to generic competition.
GSK’s PARP inhibitor Zejula (niraparib) is also a strong market contender, with GlobalData estimating that the drug will generate $791m in global sales at its 2027 peak.
Pharma & Schweiz’s Rubraca (rucaparib) also cemented itself in the US market recently, as the PARP inhibitor gained full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late December 2025. Pharma & Schweiz previously acquired the drug from Clovis Oncology for up to $135m as the latter company looked to sell its assets amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy. GlobalData forecasts that Rubraca will make $139m at its 2029 sales peak in prostate cancer.
GlobalData, parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology, forecasts that Talzenna will make global sales of $636m in 2031.
