‘Game-changing’ cancer drug on the NHS
Young leukaemia patients to receive personalised therapy that programmes body to attack rogue cells
THE NHS is to offer cancer patients a “revolutionary” drug that programmes the body to attack rogue cells, heralding a new era of “ultra-personalised” medicine.
Simon Stevens, the head of the NHS, said the treatment for leukaemia patients will be the first in a “gamechanging” class of drugs to get the green light, as the health service responds to major advances in science.
The decision makes England the first country in Europe to pay for the drug, which will be funded within weeks for children who would otherwise have no hope. The treatment, called CAR-T therapy – has been hailed by scientists as one of the most significant breakthroughs in cancer for decades.
It works by taking a patient’s own white blood cells and re-engineering them to fight cancer before re-injecting them into the body, where they multiply. Some studies have found that up to nine in 10 patients who previously had little hope of survival went into remission after the therapy.
The deal struck between Novartis and the NHS is one of the fastest funding approvals in the history of the health service. It comes just 10 days since the drug was licensed for use in Europe.
The treatment would cost a patient about £280,000 privately, but it will be funded routinely on the NHS for children and young people suffering from a rare form of leukaemia.
At the NHS conference in Manchester tomorrow, Mr Stevens is expected to say: “CAR-T therapy is a true gamechanger, and NHS cancer patients are now going to be amongst the first in the world to benefit. This constructive fasttrack negotiation shows how responsible and flexible life sciences companies can succeed – in partnership with the NHS – to make revolutionary treatments available to patients.”
The drug has been licensed to treat young patients who are not responding to treatment for an aggressive type of leukaemia called B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, in which the bone marrow makes too many immature white blood cells. About 30 children a year are expected to be given the CART treatment using a form of the drug called Kymriah.
Dr Alasdair Rankin, director of research at the blood cancer charity Bloodwise, said: “CAR-T cell therapy is the most exciting advances in treatment for childhood leukaemia for decades. Intensive chemotherapy can now cure the vast majority of children, but a significant number still tragically die every year because they do not respond to treatment. CAR-T cell therapy offers the genuine chance of a longterm cure for children who otherwise would have no other hope.”
Prof Charles Swanton, Cancer Research UK’S chief clinician, said: “It’s fantastic news for children and young people with this form of leukaemia.”
The therapy only needs to be given once. Preparing each therapy is extremely complex, given the level of personalisation. It takes a team of scientists 17 days to prepare the treatment.