13 August 2022
By Laura Donnelly
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A prostate cancer drug for terminal patients which can put the disease on hold for a year has been given the green light by regulators.
The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has ruled in favour of Pluvicto, which could delay the progression of the disease by more than a year.
Cancer experts said it was a “major clinical advance”, giving fresh hope to men with metastatic disease.
Watchdogs are expected to consider authorizing the rollout of the medication on the NHS later this year.
More than 50,000 men a year are diagnosed with prostate cancer, which is the most common form of cancer in men, with more than 12,000 annual deaths.
Research on 551 men found that the drug, made by Novartis, could delay disease progression by 12.5 months on average, with a four-month improvement in overall survival, when compared with traditional treatments.
Six months after treatment, 65 percent of patients given the drug had no worsening of the disease, compared with 28 percent of those given radiation therapy and hormone treatments.
Charities said the breakthrough could give new hope to around 3,500 men with advanced disease, which does not respond to the main forms of treatment.
Steve Allen, the acting chairman of Tackle Prostate Cancer, said, “Far too many people are still dying each year from prostate cancer.
“Tragically, those diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer will only have about a one in two chance of surviving five years. Today’s announcement of marketing authorisation for lutetium treatment is another positive milestone for eligible patients and their families. There continues to be a real and pressing need for better treatments for people with advanced prostate cancer. This new approach is very welcome.”
Johann de Bono, professor of experimental cancer medicine at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a major clinical advancement for people with advanced prostate cancer who have recurrent disease after androgen receptor pathway inhibitors and chemotherapy.
“Results from the Phase III VISION study have shown the significance of this precision medicine for patients with advanced prostate cancer and it is encouraging to see such innovations being recognized by the MHRA with this licensing authorization.”
It comes as Britain faces record backlogs of patients needing treatment
Diagnoses of prostate cancer fell by almost a quarter during the pandemic.
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Source – The Telegraph (UK)
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
