This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
New treatment for blood cancer approved
NICE has approved a new, tolerable treatment for patients with multiple myeloma for use on the NHS.
Around 2,200 patients a year with multiple myeloma are set to benefit from carflizomib, a treatment which does not cause serious side effects such as chronic pain from damaged tissue to the same extent as current treatments.
The drug, also known as kyprolis, treats patients with multiple myeloma whose cancer has returned after one round of treatment. It is manufactured by Amgen.
Carfilzomib, given with dexamethasone, can kill blood cancer cells by causing excess protein to build-up inside them.
The drug will be made available to patients on the NHS by late October.
Carole Longson, director of the centre for health technology evaluation at NICE, said: “Our independent committee recognised that carfilzomib provides benefits for this group of patients over current treatments, including improving quality of life, and so were able to recommend the drug for routine use in the NHS.”
Kate Morgan, policy and public affairs manager at the charity Myeloma UK, said: “As carfilzomib and dexamethasone has been shown to be effective in prolonging survival in relapsed myeloma patients, with limited negative impact on quality of life, it is very important for patients to have access to it on the NHS.”
Tony Patrikios, executive medical director at Amgen UK and Ireland, said: “We know that time free of disease is precious and are committed to advancing care for people with this difficult-to-treat blood cancer.”
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