‘Breakthrough’ breast cancer drugs approved
Written by News on 16/11/2017
Two new "breakthrough" drugs have been approved, giving new hope to women with previously untreatable breast cancer.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has given the go-ahead for palbociclib and ribociclib to be used on the NHS in England.
Palbociclib had previously been refused because its cost was judged to be too high in comparison to its effectiveness.
The drugs have been shown to slow down advanced cancer for at least 10 months, delaying the need for chemotherapy.
Around 45,000 are diagnosed with breast cancer in England each year and it is estimated that around 8,000 people would be eligible for treatment with either palbociclib or ribociclib.
Trial lead Nicholas Turner, professor of molecular oncology at the ICR and consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden, said: "The development of this brand new class of cancer drug is one of the most important breakthroughs for women with advanced breast cancer in the last two decades.
"In clinical trials, palbociclib and ribociclib have made a huge difference to women’s lives – slowing down tumour growth for nearly a year, and delaying the need for chemotherapy with all its potentially debilitating side-effects.
"These drugs have allowed women to live a normal life for longer."
Professor Carole Longson, director of the centre for health technology evaluation at Nice, said: "The committee heard from the patient experts that delaying the progression of their cancer for as long as possible and being able to continue with normal activities, including working, is valued very highly by patients and their families.
"It also heard that by postponing disease progression, palbociclib and ribociclib may reduce the number of people who are exposed to the often unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy, and delay the need for its use in others.
"We are pleased therefore that the companies have been able to agree reductions to the price of palbociclib and ribociclib to allow them to be made routinely available to people with this type of breast cancer."
The standard price for a 21-capsule cycle of palbociclib is £2,950, while one cycle of ribociclib is also £2,950 but for 63 tablets.
The health regulator has agreed discounts for both drugs.
(c) Sky News 2017: ‘Breakthrough’ breast cancer drugs approved
