UK becomes first country to offer game-changing blood cancer drug
What's the story
In a major breakthrough, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved a revolutionary "Trojan horse" drug to treat blood cancer patients in England.
The treatment, belantamab mafodotin, is the first of its kind in the world.
It can stop the progression of multiple myeloma—an incurable bone marrow cancer—for three times longer than conventional therapies.
Treatment mechanism
How the innovative therapy works
The innovative therapy works by targeting and binding with cancer cells.
It is administered as an infusion every three weeks, along with other cancer drugs.
The treatment gets its name from Greek mythology's Trojan horse, as it enters a cancer cell and releases a deadly molecule at high concentration to kill the cell from within.
Expert opinion
Game-changer for patients, says NHS England
Prof. Peter Johnson, NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, said the drug would be a game-changer for patients and their families.
He expressed his delight at England being the first to offer this new treatment.
"This new treatment has the potential to keep cancer at bay for years longer," he said, adding it would give people more precious time with friends and family.
Patient impact
Around 1,500 patients to benefit from this treatment every year
Around 1,500 patients in England suffering from multiple myeloma will benefit from this treatment every year.
The drug will be given to those whose cancer has progressed or failed to respond to another first-line treatment.
Shelagh McKinlay, director of research and advocacy at blood cancer charity Myeloma UK, said it was fantastic to see the NHS become the first healthcare system in the world to roll out this life-transforming drug.
Real-world results
Patient on belantamab mafodotin through early access program
Paul Silvester, a 60-year-old from Sheffield who was diagnosed with myeloma in 2023, described the impact of this new treatment as amazing.
After his first treatment failed to stop cancer progression, he was given belantamab mafodotin through an early access program at the Royal Hallamshire hospital.
"I feel like this treatment has brought the party balloons back in the house," he said while praising its efficacy.
Treatment details
Drug can delay disease progression by 3 years
Clinical trials have shown that the drug, when combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone, can delay disease progression by an average of three years.
This is significantly longer than the one-year delay seen in patients taking the commonly used drug daratumumab along with other treatments.
However, health officials have also warned that after a cancer cell is destroyed by this treatment, the remaining chemotherapy drug may leak into the body causing dry eyes and blurred vision.