English regulators have lifted restrictions on another bispecific antibody, improving treatment choices for patients with multiple myeloma.
Elranatamab is now likely to be used for the treatment of about 700 patients a year in England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said.
The drug was approved for very limited use in June, but access was prevented to people who had received IsaPD (isatuximab, pomalidomide and dexamethasone) or PD (pomalidomide and dexamethasone).
But last week’s decision has lifted this restriction, meaning it will be available for any patient with relapsed and refractory disease after they have undertaken at least three lines of other treatments.
It will be available for this extended use through the Cancer Drugs Fund while evidence continues to be gathered on its effectiveness.
The drug seems to delay deterioration of disease, NICE says. Patients who receive the drug will be expected to have received an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor and an anti-CD38 antibody.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said: “This is the latest treatment NICE has recommended for multiple myeloma, with three other drugs also recommended in 2024. Its use through the Cancer Drugs Fund will give people access to this promising new fourth-line treatment while longer-term data on its use is collected to establish whether it is clinically and cost effective.”
Caroline Donoghue, senior policy officer at the charity Myeloma UK, welcomed the news. She said: “Elranatamab is part of a brand-new class of drugs in the UK and will have a huge impact on patients and their families. In fact, we know that it has already changed the lives of many people who were close to running out of treatment options.
“As soon as we heard about the restrictions on access to elranatamab, we challenged the decision. We believed it was deeply unfair to keep this drug out of reach from those who needed it most. We worked with clinicians and made sure that patients were heard and that their needs were put front and centre.
“Elranatamab has shown very promising results in clinical trials and allowed some people who have never responded well to treatment to experience their very first complete remission.”
Source: NICE/ Myeloma UK
Link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta10918/documents
https://www.myeloma.org.uk/news/patients-hail-victory-as-nice-lifts-restrictions-on-elranatamab/
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