Hundreds of patients with lymphoma in England are to benefit from a new CAR T-cell therapy, it has been announced.
Regulators lifted their objection to the treatment after reaching a new price agreement with manufacturers.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) initially raised concerns about the cost-effectiveness of lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel).
But last week, it approved the treatment after reaching a price agreement with the manufacturer Bristol-Myers Squibb. This paves the way for nearly 600 patients a year to receive treatment for large B-cell lymphoma which has not responded to initial treatment or has returned within a year.
NICE said the treatment will significantly delay disease progression, offering patients more time before further treatment is needed. Patients may be able to receive it as outpatients.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national director for cancer, said: “It is excellent to have another CAR-T treatment available for patients who have large B-cell lymphoma which is not responding to treatment or where the disease returns early on.
“This means we now have four CAR-T products across five clinical indications - and more than 1,500 people have benefitted from these treatments on the NHS at a price affordable to taxpayers.”
NICE director of medicines evaluation Helen Knight said: “For people living with this aggressive blood cancer, and their families, today's announcement offers real hope. These aren't just statistics – each person who will benefit from this treatment is someone's parent, child, partner or friend.
“The evidence we've seen shows remarkable results. Liso-cel can buy precious time before further treatment is needed and could even be given as an outpatient treatment, reducing time spent in hospital.”
Source: NICE
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