Despite giving great offers, Novartis remained unsuccessful to convince the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to allow it in the UK market as well as in the NHS.

Novartis' multiple sclerosis pill Gilenya has got green signal in Europe this March, but it seems they would face quite difficulties to impress the NICE to enter the UK market. But Novartis said they are ready to face any difficulty and are making progresses to get their product in the list of the National Health Service.

It is for the second time when Novartis has been denied by the NICE and problem remains same which is cost. This time they have tried to strike a deal with the NICE by giving them huge discount, but still the offered price is out of their budget.

Its annual cost would be somewhere around £19,196 and the NICE does not feels that it is ready to spend such huge amount in crisis stricken time.

Chief Executive of NICE Andrew Dillon said they have to save £20 billion in a year and it is a big amount. They have been making cuts in every segment of the NHS and cuts on medicines also come under those cuts. It is their responsibility to advise the NHS for which drugs to go for.

Dillon said, "While Novartis submitted evidence that shows fingolimod can reduce relapses, our independent committee has not been convinced that it is a cost effective treatment option".

It seems the NICE has determined that they would not allow Novartis to enter in the market despite the point that the medicine would get quite economic in patient-access scheme.

Gilenya is the only oral drug for multiple sclerosis and its competitor Avonex is not widely used in the UK so there are chances for Gilenya to enter the UK market.