A new treatment for women with hard-to-treat ovarian cancer has been approved for NHS use, offering a lifeline to hundreds of women.
This marks a significant advancement for patients whose disease has become resistant to chemotherapy, a condition often diagnosed at a late stage, making it particularly challenging to manage.
Experts have hailed the “landmark” decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), noting that women with specific forms of late-stage disease, no longer responding to chemotherapy, previously faced “limited” treatment options.
Nice’s final draft guidance confirms that mirvetuximab soravtansine will be available for women with certain ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancers.
This represents the first new ovarian cancer treatment approved for NHS use in two decades.
The institute highlighted that, until now, options for treating these folate receptor-alpha-positive platinum-resistant epithelial cancers, once traditional chemotherapy failed, were severely restricted.
Victoria Clare, chief executive officer of the charity Ovacome, said: “Today marks a landmark moment. Being told that platinum-based chemotherapy is no longer working can bring anxiety and uncertainty, particularly when the disease is at an advanced stage, where time and options are limited.
“This recommendation is the first in over 20 years to offer the ovarian cancer community an additional choice at a critical stage, with the potential to make a real difference to patients and their families.”
The new treatment, which is also called Elahere and developed by AbbVie, is a targeted therapy which works by attaching to cancer cells and destroying them, with these forms of treatments sometimes described as a “biological missile” or “Trojan horse” therapy.
Clinical trials have shown the drug, which is given by a drip once every three weeks, can improve survival among patients by around four months on average, compared with those who have chemotherapy alone.
NHS England said that 400 patients in England each year could benefit.
“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,” said Professor Ruth Plummer, NHS England’s national clinical lead for cancer drugs.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at Nice, said: “We heard clearly from patients and clinicians about the very limited options available at this stage of the disease, and the substantial burden that chemotherapy places on women’s lives. We are pleased that, following a robust process and a new commercial arrangement with AbbVie, we are now able to recommend this treatment for NHS use.”
A former NHS worker who is taking the drug described how chemotherapy left her bed-bound but the new treatment has let her “get on with my life”.
Patricia Hill, 64, a retired NHS physiotherapist from north London, who began treatment in January this year, said: “Previously, I’ve had three different lines of chemotherapy, and this is the first time that I’ve actually been able to get on with my life in terms of the impact of side effects.
“The feelings of isolation and loneliness that you have undergoing conventional chemotherapy are totally or more or less totally eradicated when using mirvetuximab.
“It actually adds life to years, rather than spending your life in bed recovering from the side effects of chemotherapy.”
Rachel Downing, head of policy and external affairs at Target Ovarian Cancer, said: “This is a hugely important moment for women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and their families, who have faced limited effective treatment options for far too long. Today’s announcement offers real hope of improved quality of life.