An immunotherapy treatment is set to be made available to more patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in England as a second line therapy, it has been announced.
Blinatumomab has gained approval for use in the NHS in England ten years after it received approval in the USA, when it was reported to be the world’s most expensive cancer drug.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says it has obtained a discount on the price of blinatumomab, a bispecific T-cell engager. Details of the discount are being kept confidential.
About 80 more patients a year in England are expected to benefit from the treatment, which halves the risk of cancer returning or of death, according to analysis of clinical trials by NICE.
Blinatumomab will be available to patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative, CD19-positive B-precursor ALL, with no minimal residual disease (MRD-negative). Approval has been granted to administer the treatment at the start of the consolidation phase of the disease alongside chemotherapy.
Previously, access was limited to those who have relapsed or refractory ALL and have received at least two prior therapies, or those with MRD after initial treatment (MRD-positive).
NICE director of medicines evaluation Helen Knight said: “Today’s recommendation means doctors can offer this innovative treatment combination at the right time to help prevent leukaemia from returning. The clinical evidence is compelling, showing this treatment could give patients precious extra months and potentially years with their loved ones.”
Colin Dyer, chief executive of the charity Leukaemia Care, said: “For families dealing with the devastating impact of ALL, the approval of blinatumomab represents a beacon of hope. This decision provides a new tool in the ongoing fight against leukaemia, helping us to avoid relapse and its devastating impact on patients.”
Source: NICE
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