Key Summary
- New NHS-approved treatment combining enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab doubles survival for advanced bladder cancer patients
- Fewer side effects compared to chemotherapy, with survival rising from ~1.5 years to over 2.5 years
- Around 1,250 patients annually in England and Wales will benefit, following NHS commercial deals with Astellas Pharma and MSD UK
A breakthrough treatment can provide a ray of hope for thousand patients living with bladder cancer in the UK, as it can double their survival rates.
During the new drug’s clinical trials, people with bladder cancer that had spread (metastasised) lived up to twice as long when given the combination antibody treatment compared with those given normal chemotherapy.
In this treatment, given via IV infusion, enfortumab vedotin targets and kills the cancer cells, while pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy drug, helps the immune system recognise and fight the remaining cancer cells.
Patients experienced fewer harmful side effects with this treatment, as it targets cancer selectively.
The treatment has been approved for use by the NHS and around 1,250 patients would be offered the therapy in a year.
Bladder cancer is difficult to treat with standard chemotherapy, and the life expectancy for people with metastatic bladder cancer is just over a year.
It tends to be asymptomatic, especially in its early stages – and once it spreads beyond the bladder, it can be aggressive and resistant to chemotherapy.
The new approach increases survival from around 1.5 years with chemotherapy to more than 2.5 years.
More than 10,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year in the UK.
The treatment has been made available due to commercial deals struck by NHS England with manufacturers Astellas Pharma and MSD UK, which enabled the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to deem it cost-effective.
Health minister Stephen Kinnock said, “For people with cancer, every moment matters.
“This breakthrough treatment will give people precious extra time with their families. This is exactly what modern healthcare looks like – saving lives by providing access to the best support available.”
Dr Tim Patel, Medical Director for the UK at Astellas Pharma, said, “We are proud to have worked with NICE and the NHS to make the combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab available to eligible patients across England and Wales”.
