A new, life-extending drug for ovarian cancer which was trialled at UCLH is now available on the NHS.
It is the first new addition to NHS treatment for ovarian cancer in over 20 years, and was announced today by NHS England.
Dr Rowan Miller, who ran the clinical trials at UCLH in research supported by the NIHR BRC at UCLH, told the BBC: "Finally, there's a drug that's available, that improves survival for this group of patients and in addition, the patients get on with the treatment well and find it easier to manage than standard chemotherapy.”
Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of death from gynaecological cancer worldwide. In the UK, there are around 7,500 new diagnoses each year.
The new targeted therapy – mirvetuximab soravtansine – will be offered to patients living with ovarian cancer whose disease has stopped responding to standard chemotherapy, providing new hope of extra time to live.
The drug works by attaching to ovarian cancer cells that have a protein called folate receptor alpha (FRα) on their surface, before releasing a cancer-killing molecule which destroys the cell from within.
In a major global clinical trial involving eight NHS hospitals, the treatment delayed cancer progression and prolonged survival, with patients living 16.5 months on average compared to 12.8 months with chemotherapy.
Following a recommendation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) today, the treatment will be available for patients with epithelial ovarian, peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer that has become resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy and whose tumours contain the FRα protein the drug targets.
The treatment is given intravenously (via a drip) over 2-4 hours, once every three weeks.
The drug may also have more tolerable side effects than traditional chemotherapy – with the treatment aimed more precisely at cancer cells than chemotherapy, which harms healthy cells
The NHS estimates up to 400 patients in England each year could benefit. NHS England will fast-track access for patients through its Cancer Drugs Fund, which provides early access to innovative new treatments.
Prof Karl Peggs, UCLH Director of Research and Director of the NIHR UCLH BRC, said: “This is great news for patients, and an excellent example of why sustained Government support for research infrastructure is critical. Advancements like this, which are helping to extend and improve lives through new therapies, depend upon the support of infrastructure like the UCLH Biomedical Research Centre which funds the clinical staff and facilities required to deliver research”
Professor Ruth Plummer, NHS national clinical lead for cancer drugs, said: “This represents the most significant breakthrough in NHS treatment for these hard-to-treat ovarian cancers in over two decades – and we’re delighted it will now offer hundreds of women much-needed hope of precious extra time with their loved ones. It is part of a growing wave of more targeted cancer therapies which, by homing in on specific features of cancer cells, are helping us improve patients’ lives.”
Minister for Public Health, Sharon Hodgson said: “This is an important moment for hundreds of women with ovarian cancer and a testament to our commitment to getting the most promising treatments to NHS patients as quickly as possible. Critically, today’s decision means that patients will have a better quality of life than they otherwise would.”
Mirvetuximab soravtansine (Elahere) has been developed by AbbVie.
Image: Adobe Stock / MohammedElAmine
