‘Life-changing’ blood cancer drug fast-tracked by NHS
The NHS will fast-track a drug for an aggressive form of blood cancer to hundreds of patients a year.
Glofitamab could be life-saving for patients with a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma – known as diffuse B-cell lymphoma (DBCL) – who have not responded to other treatments.
About 5,500 people a year develop the cancer, which most commonly affects men aged 65 and over.
The disease affects the glands, causing swelling, and can prevent the immune system from functioning properly, causing infections.
If and when it spreads to organs, it can be fatal. And, if it affects the brain or spinal cord, it can also impair the nervous system, causing mobility problems and even paralysis.
While overall survival for lymphoma is relatively high, only about six in 10 people diagnosed with DBCL will survive more than five years.
Existing treatments include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies – the latter of which are only available at specialist cancer centres.
Glofitamab, also known by its brand name, Columvi, works by targeting specific proteins on the cancer cells as well as on the white blood cells responsible for the immune response, helping them to multiply and kill the tumour cells.
It is delivered via a drip into the vein every three weeks. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) estimates that it would cost around £46,000 for five cycles of treatment – the average a patient would need.
Discounted price
However, the drug has been fast-tracked through NHS England’s Cancer Drugs Fund at a confidential, discounted price.
John Sharp, 68, was wheelchair-bound after his lymphoma returned in 2021 and began to spread quickly without responding to chemotherapy or CAR-T treatment.
After three cycles of treatment, he “can walk again” and is in complete remission.
“I can’t believe I’m in remission after so many previous treatments,” said Mr Sharp.
“I can go out now with friends and family. I previously needed a wheelchair and now I can walk. I was as weak as water and I feel so different now – it’s like chalk and cheese.”
Amanda Pritchard, the chief executive of NHS England, said: “This is the latest in a long list of cutting-edge drugs available on the NHS to help people with cancer live longer with a better quality of life.
“It is so wonderful to hear the impact that it has already had on patients like John who can now walk again and spend time with his family, thanks to this life-changing treatment.”
