About the programme

The Rapid Uptake Products (RUP) programme has been designed to support stronger adoption and spread of proven innovations. It identifies and supports products with NICE approval that support the NHS Long Term Plan’s key clinical priorities, but have lower than expected uptake to date.
The current programme builds on the successes of the 2017/20 Innovation Technology Payment (ITP) programme, with themes selected via an open, staged, selection process.

The following pathways and innovations are being supported through the 2020-2022 RUP Programme:

Lipid Management

We are accelerating patient access to existing and novel medicines, delivered as part of our national lipids programme. The medicines include high intensity statins (HIST), ezetimibe, bempedoic acid, inclisiran and PCSK9i. The over-arching aim is to improve a person’s lipid profile, by reducing cholesterol concentration in blood by optimising their treatment profile along the NICE-recommended pathway.

Severe Asthma Management

We are accelerating patient access to multiple innovations along the severe asthma pathway, to improve diagnosis and optimise treatment through our Rapid Uptake Products programme.

Measuring fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) concentration in asthma: products NIOX VERO and NObreath

FeNO (fractional exhaled nitric oxide) is a point of care test to measure type two inflammation in airways, which augments and supports the accuracy of asthma diagnosis. The aim of this innovation will be to improve patient care and outcomes by more effective diagnosis of patients suspected of having asthma. Wessex Health Innovation Network has produced an extensive online resource area to help providers implement FeNO testing.

Biologics for treating severe asthma: Reslizumab, Benralizumab, Mepolizumab and Omalizumab

Biological therapies can transform patient lives by reducing long-term side effects of other treatments (e.g. oral corticosteroids (OCS)) and can also reduce the number of exacerbations and life-threatening asthma attacks. The aim of this innovation will be to improve patient care and outcomes by providing a better treatment option for patients with severe asthma.

Find out more

Click on the links below to find further information relating to each of the Rapid Uptake Products (RUPs).