NHS gets go-ahead for new drug to treat people with incurable blood cancer

A new treatment for incurable blood cancer that can help extend patients’ lives by more than three years has been approved for use by the NHS in Scotland

The drug belantamab mafodotin – also known as Blenrep – has been approved for use for patients with myeloma, when used alongside two other drugs, bortezomib and dexamethasone.

The combined treatment, known as BVD, has been described as a “Trojan horse”, which extends the life of those with the disease by an average of more than three years.

The treatment, which had already been approved for use by the NHS in England, targets a protein on the surface of myeloma cells, helping to deliver chemotherapy straight to the cancer cells, flagging these for the patients’ own immune system to kill.

The treatment has now been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium for use by the NHS in Scotland, along with new drugs to treat to other forms of cancer.

Shelagh McKinlay, director of research and advocacy at the blood cancer charity Myeloma UK, said it was “fantastic news” BVD has been approved for patients in Scotland.

While incurable, myeloma, a type of blood cancer that occurs in the bone marrow, is treatable in the majority of cases.

There are more than 33,000 people living with disease in the UK, including more than 2,300 in Scotland.

And while more than 3,000 people die from myeloma every year in the UK, Myeloma UK says more than half of patients with the disease will survive for five years or more.

Welcoming the SMC decision, Ms McKinlay said: “We know this treatment will make a huge difference to the lives of people with myeloma in Scotland.

“BVD has been shown in clinical trials to give patients remissions of more than three years on average.

“That’s three more years they will get to spend with loved ones; more time to make memories, to watch their children or grandchildren grow up.

“Until we have a cure, it is absolutely vital that all patients are given as many options to control their disease as possible.”

As well as approving the myeloma treatment, the SMC gave the green light for the drug durvalumab – also known as Imfinzi- to treat people with advanced endometrial cancer.

And the drug fruquintinib, which is also known as Fruzaqla, was approved for treating bowel cancer patients where the disease has spread.

In addition to these, a new treatment for women with endometriosis, linzagolix – also known as Yselty – was backed for use by the NHS.

And the drug nusinersen, which is also known as Spinraza, was approved for treating patients with type 2 or type 3 spinal muscular atrophy – a very rare genetic condition that causes muscle wasting.

The drug has already been available to patients as part of a scheme for treating rare conditions, while further evidence on its effectiveness was collected.

But the SMC has now approved it for routine use by the NHS – with campaigners at Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK welcoming the “landmark decision”.

SMC chair Dr Scott Muir said: “Spinal muscular atrophy is a devastating condition for patients and their families. Nusinersen is another treatment option which may be better suited for some patients.”

He continued: “Durvalumab fulfils an unmet need for some patients with advanced endometrial cancer and can slow disease progression more than current chemotherapy alone for first-line treatment.

“Fruquintinib provides an oral, targeted treatment option for patients with metastatic bowel cancer.

“Belantamab mafodotin, when used together with bortezomib and dexamethasone, provides a new class of medicine to treat myeloma.”

However, the SMC was unable to approve the drug belantamab mafodotin for use along with the drugs pomalidomide and dexamethasone, for treating myeloma patients with Dr Muir stating her the company’s evidence around the cost effectiveness of the treatment was “not sufficient”.